


Lizzy and Lucy on a mission

by Immovable_McLennon



Category: The Beatles (Band)
Genre: (over)protective dads, Family Fluff, Getting Together, John and Paul are both single fathers, John and Paul are idiots, John is a good father, Like really slow, Lizzy and Lucy play matchmakers, M/M, Modern Era, Slow Build, Swearing, Tags added as we go along, The Beatles but no Beatlemania, Well teenagers being angsty, but lovely with it, for now mostly family fluff, it doesn't go too well, some slight angst I guess, they have phones and stuff, they're just a normal (famous) band
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-07
Updated: 2021-02-19
Packaged: 2021-03-02 03:54:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 21
Words: 37,047
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23528731
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Immovable_McLennon/pseuds/Immovable_McLennon
Summary: Paul and John are both single dads. Paul has Lizzy (16) and John has Lucy (17). The two girls want their dads to get together already. They already spend all their time together anyway. Their dads don't agree. Lucy and Lizzy try anyway.
Relationships: John Lennon/Paul McCartney
Comments: 63
Kudos: 84





	1. The apple doesn't fall far from the tree

**Author's Note:**

> The Beatles exist and they are famous but not like "Beatlemania" famous. Also they all have phones and stuff, so modern era.

#### Lucy’s POV

I pulled my boyfriend even closer and our lips met for what feels like the thousandth time today. I just couldn’t get enough of him. My hands are resting in his back pockets to try and keep them warm. It was just so cold today, even if it was April already.  
“If your father comes now… He can’t stand me as it is,” he murmured against my lips. I just laughed out loud.  
“That is a blatant lie and you know it.”  
“Well not that your father might arrive any moment,” he retorted grinning. My dad thankfully spared me with the “stupid boyfriend” and “if you hurt her…” talk. But even I didn’t want my dad to see me snog Chris. I can live quite well without that, thank you. So I leaned against his chest and closed my eyes.  
“He’ll be late anyway, like he always is,” I grumbled. Sometimes I do wonder if that man even knows the word punctuality and that when his best friend was obsessed with being on time to everything.  
“I’ll just drive you, if he is,” suggested Chris, while stroking through my hair. I could fall asleep like this if he kept on doing that.  
“And then I’m in trouble at home when he decides to show up here.”  
“I’ll gladly take on your dad’s anger if that means you don’t have to freeze any longer.”  
“You are too good for me,” I said smiling and kissed him again. “Go on. You can go home. He’ll be here in a minute, I’m sure.”  
“Really? I can wait with you, if you wanted.”  
“Oh no, my friend. You have some studying to do. This exam is important,” I reprimanded him. Chris had good grades but sometimes I really had to demand for him to learn. He was just about to finish sixth form. I was just a year behind him. Anyway, this year was important for him and his future and I’m not the one to ruin that for him.  
“Call me when you’re home, sweetie.”  
He kissed me one last time, caressed my cheek and then turned to get to his car. Soon after he vanished around a corner. 

My dad will really get a good telling off when he does arrive. He’s late half an hour already and there’s still no sign of him. If there’s one thing I hate about my dad is when he doesn’t turn up. I was so tired and exhausted from training and I just wanted to get home, get a shower and fall into bed. Maybe order a pizza beforehand. I was really looking forward to this weekend with him but now I’m wondering if we really should spend it together. I really should be used to it by now and there really was no hope left but you still always believe in the good of a person. Especially if that person is your father. Maybe I should get him an electrical calendar instead of some boots next Christmas. One that doesn’t stop the noise until the appointments have been checked. That didn’t sound like a bad idea at all. Are there things like that? I don’t really know but if not, it really should be invented.  
Sighing, I sat down on the bench next to me and got out my book. If I had to wait, I could at least use the time I had sensibly.  
A car came around the corner und shortly after the horn sounded. It was not the car of my father. I still put my book back and took my bag, still annoyed. Of course I would be interrupted when I wanted to read.  
Angrily I got into the car and crossed my arms. My eyes were fixed on the man sitting behind the steering wheel. Immediately he stopped smiling.

“Where is he?” I asked.  
“He had an appointment he couldn’t move around. It went on for longer than he thought.”  
“Oh did he? Then why couldn’t he not just tell me? And why couldn’t someone else come pick me up earlier than this?” I ranted to my driver, who listened patiently. “I mean, he’s got a phone. And what kind of appointment could he have that is so important that he can just stand me up and send you? Does he have some great interview or maybe even an appearance on TV? Maybe he met a fan and had to go and drink a coffee with them?”  
I had to get my anger and frustration off somewhere.  
“Oh come on, Lucy. My god you really can talk without taking a single breath. The appointment is with a newspaper, yes. It should have been earlier but was delayed. And he really is sorry. I myself couldn’t be here earlier because he called me quite late but also because I was stuck in traffic,” he explained without taking his eyes off the road for one second.  
“Sorry George, but it’s just annoying. He is never on time for anything and sometimes he doesn’t come at all.”  
“You know how he is,” George answered, still not losing his patience with me.  
“Yeah… sadly,” I murmured and looked out the window for the rest of the drive to our house. I would never admit it, but George was right and I knew it. Dad really did try to do everything right and his job was quite demanding. Sometimes I just wished that he would concentrate more on me.

Getting into my bedroom, I threw my bag into a corner and turned on some music. Immediately I could hear the Rolling Stones blaring from the speakers and I could calm down a bit. George had said that he needed to leave again soon, but that my dad would be home shortly. That meant it could be a few hours. So, I took my stuff and went to have a shower. The handball practice today was quite exhausting, and I might have overstretched the muscles in my hand. That happens a lot since I’m the goalkeeper. I love the position I have but it leads to injuries more than I’d want it to. At least it has never been worse than a strain or a contusion and some bruises of course. This time the ball hit my hand in a weird way but at least it was my left hand and not the right, with which I have to write.  
I leave the shower humming a tune. After drying myself I put on my favourite track-pants and a comfy, long shirt. At home I would sometimes even put on a Beatles shirt. I wouldn’t be seen dead in them in public though. As much as I like my dad’s music, I’d rather wear those shirts to bed or to walk around the house. After tying my hair together in a light braid, I had to wait for my dad. I hoped that he was at least smart enough to bring pizza with him. My stomach would complain soon if he doesn’t get fed soon and I’d rather not starve.

I got out my phone to write Chris that I got home safely. As soon as it was unlocked facebook had some messages waiting for me. Another couple of friend-requests from fans. Annoyed I ignored them and looked at the messages. Even here were a couple of messages who ask about my dad. As much as I tried to hide my account there were still a few idiots who actively search for me. Luckily for me, it was only a few people but not having been online for a few days really make a difference. I have of course been to the studio with them or to events like launch parties, but I was spared from the cameras. Either George or Ringo was usually looking after me and Lizzy even if we were 16 and 17 and could very well look after ourselves. Immediately I had to grin. Well, that wasn’t quite true. At the last launch party I looked a bit too deep into the glass. My dad got so angry. I can understand that but still, I wasn’t THAT drunk. I went through the messages from my group of friends. They had sent pictures from our last party. The press would have a field day with those. I could already see the headlines: “Like father, like daughter”. My father liked to party as much as I did. I certainly got that from him. But he should better not see these pictures. He knew I was no angel, but he didn’t need to know everything. 

“Lucy, I’m home,” came his voice from downstairs. I thought about not answering and staying in my room for a minute but decided against it. I made my way downstairs und stood before him with my arms crossed.  
His brown eyes met mine and we stared at each other for a bit.  
“I’m angry!” I announced and he just nodded.  
“I had an appointment love. I’m really sorry but you know how it is.”  
“Tell me you at least brought pizza.”  
“Of course. Like always,” he said smiling. I stormed into the kitchen and there were two cartons waiting for us. Quickly I cut mine into pieces and sat myself in front of the tv with my dinner in hand.  
“What was so important this time then?” I wanted to know.  
“Oh come on, Lucy. You know I don’t do this on purpose. This idiot of a journalist turned up way too late and it all took so much longer. Then there were the photos…”  
He rolled his eyes annoyed and sat down next to me with his own pizza.  
“Hm…” was all I answered and took another bite of my pizza.  
“I even brought you some cider,” he said, and I looked at him with a smile on my face.  
“You didn’t forget?” I asked incredulous and he nodded.  
“As if I could forget your cider. Strawberry and Lime as always.”  
He grinned and reached down to get the bottle out of the bag, before handing it to me.  
“Well alright. I forgive you one more time John Lennon,” I said, laughing, and took the bottle from him. How could I be angry with him any longer? Pizza and Cider – is there a better way to end the day?  
“We’ve got the weekend all to ourselves. I’ve moved everything else to next week,” he added then and that made me even happier.  
“Thank you, dad.”  
I rested my head on his shoulder and we watched a film together while finishing our pizza. Just like always.


	2. Daaaaad

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's Lizzy's POV now.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Easter to those who celebrate. Happy Sunday to those who don't.

#### Lizzy’s POV

Drowsing, I lay on my bed and got lost in the music that was coming from my headphones and travelling straight through my body. The Stones: just one of the things I had in common with Lucy. The concert in two months will be amazing, afterwards we’ll get to hang out with Mick and the boys. In those moments I was slightly jealous of Lucy having John as her dad. He was at least cool with her partying a bit. Paul was completely against that when it came to me. Even if him and John themselves were no angels when it came to partying and drinking. The only usable excuse was always that Lucy was a year older than me and could therefore be my babysitter and make sure I was alright. John at least was usually on my side when Lucy was there too and therefore went against his best friend, trying to talk him round. Only if we didn’t go too far, though, obviously. 

A sudden shaking of my mattress made me open my eyes in shock. I looked straight into big, hazel and damp eyes. Sighing, I took off my headphones.  
“Daaad, no. Seriously? Please don’t,” I whined.  
He just looked at me, looking for sympathy, before he pulled me into his arms and pressed me against his body. It was one of those hugs that made you think you could break a bone any time now. I didn’t even want to know what he would do then. He was overprotective of me anyway. He was the kind of person who wanted to bring me to hospital, when I complained about my fingers hurting after I played the guitar for too long. So far he managed to not do that.  
“But I haven’t seen you in such a long time,” he whispered into my ear. Usually I would now have made a complaint about him ruining my hairdo.  
“It was just a week dad.”  
“Bad enough.”  
With that he finally let go of me and rubbed my arm for a moment.  
“I love you my darling,” he added, and his face came slowly closer to mind.  
“Forget it,” I laughed and pulled away. While doing that I nearly hit my head on the wall behind my bed. He kept looking at me with those puppy eyes and eventually I caved and let him kiss me on the cheek. 

“Ew…,” I complained and rubbed my wet cheek with the sleeve of my jumper. He looked slightly hurt but I just sighed and put my headphones back on.  
“At least she got her taste for good music from me…,” I heard him mumble slightly muffled before he left my room. If he knew that I secretly quite fancied Mick and let my imagination run wild a few times, he wouldn’t be quite as happy, I’m sure. He was old-fashioned anyway when it came to me having boyfriends. Another point in which I envied Lucy having John as a father. She had had her first boyfriend quite early and John was always cool with it – Paul however, no comment. And then always this over-the-top “Oh, I love you so much, my darling”… ugh. Alright, I have to admit, of course I missed him, too. But he always has to exaggerate. At least one of us should keep their feet on the ground, you know… Balance and stuff. On the other hand he has to replace my mum in a way, so…

I opened my eyes, lost in thought, and looked at the picture of her that I kept next to my bed. I could hardly remember her now. She died when I was only four. There’s one thing I can remember very clearly. She always used to sing me to sleep with ‘Twinkle, twinkle little star’ and she would rub my forehead while she sang. Sometimes, in those rare sentimental days, my dad would sit beside me on the sofa, when it was just the two of us, and he would stroke my forehead while he sings our favourite songs. In those moments I regretted having a famous dad who didn’t have much time for me. 

Five minutes later I sat on the couch, leaning against my dad. He had his guitar on his lap and tinkered on it quietly. I just listened to him and enjoyed his company. I knew from his expression that he could tell exactly why my mood had changed so suddenly. Like so often I could see a few tears gathering in his eyes. It was time he was finally happy again. Not just professionally but when it came to love as well. And the one person who made my dad one hundred percent happy was…  
In that moment the phone rang.  
“Dad, didn’t you want to change the ringtone?” I complained and pulled a face at the bland, nerve-wracking peep.  
“Oh look, my little diva is back…,” I heard him grumble, so I grabbed one of the sofa-cushions and threw it at his head.  
“Yes, uaarghh… uhm McCartney? … No no, she’s just throwing stuff at me once again, nothing new there… yes, the usual running battle.”  
He glanced over to me and lifted his arm to protect his face just before the next cushion flew right past his sideburns. I don’t know how often I have told him to get rid of them. At least they sort of fit him, other people however… ugh.  
“Yes, Lucy, I’ll hand the phone to her. Tell John I said hi.”  
I just rolled my eyes at that last sentence. They already saw each other 24/7 and still…

Dad gave me the receiver and silently signed that revenge would come once I finished my chat with Lucy. I immediately jumped off the couch and fled into the hallway. Paul followed soon enough. There goes the ‘after you hang up’. Maybe someone should teach him some English.  
“Hey Lucy,” I puffed und narrowly evaded his arms. “Why…” – taking a deep breath – “…don’t you call me…” – sidestep – “on my phone?” My hand travels down to my pockets for a search of the mentioned device and came out empty. So that cleared up that mystery. It was still up in my bedroom. “Okay, I know…” – another deep breath – “…so, what’s up? … Of course! Gladly. Oh, I won’t even ask him.” I jumped to the side and once again got away from his arms. “When it comes to his better half, he never really minds, you should know that by now.” Once around the coffee table. “Just hurry up. Dad seemed to have forgotten his pills. He’s chasing me like a rabid bear or something. Exactly… there’s only one thing helping here – John!?  
That was the exact moment when my dad caught me and pulled me against his body, which made me let out a loud squeal. I could hear Lucy laugh through the phone and cursed the strength of my father who even one-handed had no problem to keep his hold on me. His other hand was in his face which he had screwed up as if he was in pain. Ah well, he deserved it. 

“Lucy, I have to hang up now. You’ll be here in a moment anyway. I can’t really defend myself with only one free arm… See you!”  
With a grin I pressed my teeth into the arm that was curled around my body. Only lightly of course but it proved to be effective since he pulled his arm away immediately. While that went on, I put the receiver back into its station.  
“Are you crazy?” he asked and looked at the slightly red mark on his arm. I couldn’t help but laugh at the sight. Then I took my chance to run back into the living room, jumped onto the couch and hid behind the back of it.  
“By the way, Lucy and John will be here in a bit,” I called out to him from my hiding spot. No answer came back. Two arms came out of nowhere then and his fingers pricked my sides. Another squeal left my mouth before I could try to wriggle out of his hold once more. No chance this time.  
“The two of them won’t be able to protect you, muhahahahaa”  
He choked and had to cough therefore I was free again.  
“See, that’s what you get from that. And you really need to work on your evil laugh, dad. Not like anyone believes that anyway. You are just too cute for that.”  
I felt a pang of sympathy for him then and so I approached him slowly to pat his back. Wrong move. I really shouldn’t trust my dad because the next moment I was thrown over his shoulder. My feet in front of his chest and my torso hanging in front of his back.  
“You absolute idiot!” I squealed.  
“Na, na, missy. No such language in this house.”  
I had no choice but to accept my fate. Just then my rescue arrived, and the doorbell rang.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> comments and kudos would be much appreciated.


	3. Swapping fathers?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here we are with the next chapter. Back to Lucy.

#### Lucy’s POV

I still don’t quite know how dad managed to convince me to go to Paul and Lizzy today. Of course, I knew that they hadn’t seen each other for over two HOURS and that was hell for both of them but still? I could be in bed right now and sleep.   
“Sometimes I really wonder why we don’t live with Paul. We are round theirs or they are at ours all the time anyway.”  
“Honey, stop spreading your foul mood,” my father scolded me and put his arm around my shoulders. He knew exactly how much I hated it when he called me honey. That’s how I knew how serious he was about it. Better not say another wrong word. I pressed the doorbell and Paul was there soon after to open the door for us. Dad and I immediately burst into a laughing fit. He really had Lizzy hanging from his shoulders as if she were a sack of potatoes.   
“Both of you are idiots,” I manage to say through my laughter.   
“Thanks for the greeting, little one,” came Pauls answer with a huge grin spreading on his face. He let go of Lizzy finally and put her back down. She hadn’t stopped complaining ever since the door was opened. As soon as his hands were free from his daughter, Paul pulled me into a tight hug. I really loved him and only he was allowed to still call me “little one”. If one wanted to, one might say that Paul was my second dad.   
“Anytime, Paul.”  
“Missed you too,” he said then.  
John, who was still stood behind me, piped up then: “Sometimes I get the feeling that she is your daughter and not mine.”  
I threw an annoyed glance at my dad, once I got out of Pauls hug. Just like with dad, I hadn’t seen Paul for a week. Since they were always together, I saw him just as often as my father.   
“I’ll switch gladly. I’ll come and live with you John and Lucy goes to live with dad,” commented my best friend, just to have her say in this whole discussion. Fake-annoyed Paul threw his arms around my shoulder and walked me into the living room. 

“Alright, my lovely daughter, do you want anything? Food? Drink?” he asked, exaggerating the stress on the word “daughter”.   
“Oh a glass of coke is just fine, dad,” I played along and he nodded with a grin.   
“Really? You two certainly have a screw loose,” laughed Lizzy. I was pretty sure that she had the same laugh as her dad.  
“What? You wanted to switch.”  
“I could never trade you in, love,” explained my dad and sat down on one of the armchairs. It was rare that my father was so open and therefore it got to me even more when he did small things like this. He wasn’t someone who could show his emotions very well and he certainly couldn’t talk about them. Yes there were times when he opened up but sometimes he just wouldn’t let anyone inside. He was a mystery to most people and sometimes even to me. It was only bad when we had an argument. He just seemed to be totally emotionless then which was worse than any outburst of emotions or getting shouted at.   
“You really look like John right now.”   
I was pulled out of my thoughts by that statement and had to blink a few times to get back into the present time.   
“Hm?”  
“Your serious stare just now. Just like John,” explained Lizzy.   
“Hey I don’t look serious, just sexy,” complained my dad and I immediately grimaced.   
“Dad, stop that. No matter how old I am, you’ll never be sexy to me. I really don’t know what all these women want from you,” I said, shaking my head.  
John and Paul started to laugh right away. No idea what they had. 

“So, what’s the reason for your visit then?” Paul asked.   
“My father yearned for you. He continuously moaned about how much he missed you.”  
“Oh no, poor John. You’ve been apart for soooo long,” answered Lizzy immediately and we both started to laugh. Dad and Paul just looked at each other with one of those looks and it felt like they were having a conversation without saying a word. Apparently, they had because soon after they both got up. Paul, who was closer to me, threw himself at me and started to tickle me mercilessly. Laughing, I tried to get away from him, but he was just too strong. My only possibility – kicking my legs. To my surprise it actually worked, and I managed to get away. I jumped behind the armchair where my dad was sitting before. He was now busy tickling Lizzy. I knew that my father knew no mercy when it came to torture the two of us and her laughter sounded just like that was what was happening.   
“Paul, I’m warning you. Leave me alone if you ever want to play guitar again,” I threatened. He just started to laugh.  
“I’m sorry but I don’t think that’s a threat that you can pull off.”  
That was true but it was worth a try.  
“But… I just said something against dad. Not you,” I tried a different tactic. For a moment it seemed like Paul considered it and I began to relax a little. A fatal mistake that was. Paul came over to me and pulled me into his arms and started his attack once more. I couldn’t stop laughing. I never will be too old for this.   
“Okay, okay, I’m sorry,” I managed to get out and he let go of me immediately. John had let go of Lizzy, too. I let myself fall into the armchair completely exhausted.   
“Hey, that’s my place, Lucy” complained my father when he saw me.   
“Yeah, well, I’m sitting here now.”  
Really? He complained about an armchair? Well, I admit, he always sits there but I didn’t want to get up anymore. So, I just moved to the side a bit and dad let himself fall next to me. He put his arms around me, and I let my head fall onto his chest. Usually I would only do this when we were alone, but Paul and Lizzy were an exception. They were almost family anyway.

“I still don’t know why you’re here.” Paul pouted. I just yawned and closed my eyes. Laughing was more exhausting than I thought.   
“We didn’t have anything to do. The pizza was finished and the film as well. And anyway, if we hadn’t turned up here, you would have shown up at ours soon enough,” explained dad and I could hear from his voice that he was grinning. If there was one thing, I was sure of, it was that after a tour Paul, Lizzy, dad and I always got together that same day. It has just always been like that.   
I must have fallen asleep at some point because when I woke up, I wasn’t sitting in the armchair anymore. No, I was in a bed that I knew only too well. I turned to my side and stared into my father’s eyes. Ah right, he was back since yesterday.  
“Morning, love. Just wanted to wake you. Breakfast’s ready.”  
“Morning dad,” I mumbled still sleepy. He smiled and pressed a kiss to my forehead before he left the room. Still half asleep I made my way into Paul’s kitchen and sat down at the table. I was glad that I always had some stuff here. Someone, I guess it was my dad, had gotten me out of my jeans and into my sleeping shirt. Another one of my band shirts that I always kept here.   
“Slept well?” asked Paul and poured me a cup of tea.   
“Yeah, really well,” I answered. He would just keep asking. I really wasn’t of much use in the morning. I was amazed that dad was already as chipper as he was. He would usually sleep as long as possible when he came back from a tour. I would not see him before half the afternoon had passed.   
“Okay… something’s off here,” I declared. Lizzy, who had just joined us, threw a glace my way that told me everything. She noticed it, too.   
“They have never been up so early after a tour,” she spoke what I had thought.   
“You do know, that we are here?” Paul asked, grinning, but I just ignored him.  
“Either they both feel really bad about something or they have plans that I don’t know anything about.”  
“Maybe they wanna go shopping with us,” mused Lizzy.   
“You can forget that, right away, Lizzy. I will not set foot in any store today.” With that my dad destroyed all hopes. Lizzy and I both sighed loudly. No matter what was going on, I liked it. Without thinking about it anymore we ate our breakfast. 

After I finished getting ready in the guest bathroom (which I’m pretty sure belonged to dad and me) we drove home.   
“So, what’s planned for today?” I wanted to know from my dad while I got out of my shoes.   
“Nothing.”  
“What do you mean nothing?” I asked confused and went into the kitchen to get a bottle of water. Dad came after me and looked at me admonitory.   
“What do we have glasses for?” he asked.  
“For guests,” I answered. It’s not like he could be angry at me for that. He drank straight from the bottle all the time.   
“We’re gonna get comfy on the couch today and watch films. I told you that we’d have the whole weekend for just us two. So we won’t be doing anything today, apart from enjoying our time together,” he explained.   
And that was exactly what we did. That way the day with my dad passed way too fast and I enjoyed every minute of it. We really haven’t got enough time together. In these times, when I had him to myself, I really wished not to have a famous father.


	4. Caught

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> New Chapter. Lizzy's POV.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> By the way, this story isn't beta-ed and English is not my first language so there will be mistakes along the way.

#### Lizzy’s POV

“Come on, Lizzy. Do you know how long it’s been since we last played something together?”  
I could hear his steps coming up the stairs behind me and that only made me move faster.  
“But daaaad, I’m not nine anymore,” I complained.  
“But you always used to love that stacking game. Come on, please.”  
I knew that he had his puppy eyes on me and that is the one reason why I wouldn’t turn around.  
“You know, you can stack something. Your dirty clothes for example. You wanted a shower anyway before John comes to get you. And you don’t have that much time left,” I said. “And clean clothes really would be nice just about now. The tumble drier is finished now, you know. If you desperately want to pass the time you don’t even have, anyway.”  
I could only hear a “hrmpf” before I got into my bedroom and closed the door in his face. He really was still a little kid, at least on the inside. And I knew that he wanted me to be his little girl forever.

After getting some clean clothes out of my wardrobe and got back out of my room I was met with those sad puppy dog eyes that I tried to avoid before.  
“If we hadn’t gotten two bathrooms, I’d have given you a choice now, since I want to take a shower as well. But thankfully you listened to me back then and so we don’t have that problem right now,” I grinned and walked past him. I had already put my clothes down on the stool in the bathroom, when I turned around and finally gave in.  
“Come on dad, have a nice evening with the love of your life and the other old guys and then we’ll see what we can do tomorrow.”  
His eyes brightened up immediately and it seems that he even overheard my comment about John. Like I said, old guys… Maybe I should get him a hearing aid for his next birthday.  
“Coming to think about it… you’ll probably be too hungover and don’t want to play games anyway. You know, you could just take the game along. I’m sure the guys would love to stack blocks and sticks on top of each other, to see who can make the highest tower. Oh no, sorry. You prefer to play spin the bottle. At least then you don’t have to control yourself and kiss John.”  
_“Elisabeth McCartney!”_  
Giggling, I vanished into the bathroom and closed the door behind me. Two minutes later I could hear the shower going on in the other bathroom. He had actually listened to me for once. I didn’t have to give up hope yet. Maybe I would manage to train him properly at some point. 

“Dad, it’s gonna be fine.”  
I sighed and tried to push him further towards the front door. John was already standing outside and seemingly freezing. My father was still fighting against leaving the house – not without giving me every possible safety instruction for the fridge and the microwave once more.  
“You do know how often I am alone and have to prepare my own food, right?”  
For a moment I felt bad about that remark, when I saw the sad look in his eyes.  
“And if there were any problems, we’d still have some leftovers from yesterday. I wouldn’t even have to get close to the danger that is hot oil and stove tops.  
“And I’m also here,” added Lucy, laying her hand on my dad’s arm. He finally gave in and walked over to the door.  
“Oh and behave yourselves!”  
“Yes, dad!” we shouted together before the two guys left. 

We started our evening together with a few games on the Wii-console. I’m really glad to live in a house right now. If we hadn’t, we’d have a complaint from the neighbour about now because of our stomping around. At least we managed not to break anything when playing tennis. Those strings on the controllers saved us a few times, when they slipped out of our hands. After burning all those calories, we decided to get into that oh so dangerous fridge and get something to eat. We split the food onto two plates and put them into the oh so dangerous microwave. After which we would carry them up the oh so dangerous staircase and eat the food with that oh so dangerous cutlery.  
After half an hour of digesting and talking while listening to our favourite bands, it was already getting dark outside. That meant it was time to go a bit harder. I vanished into the furthest corner of my walk-in-wardrobe to retrieve a bottle of Jack Daniels I had stolen from my dad.  
“Lizzy!” Lucy reprimanded me but I could see the smirk on her face. What our fathers could do, we could do as well. But in a way that we don’t have a hangover the next day. We could judge how much we can take, which would make us cleverer than our dads.  
If that was as easy as I had imagined, could be questioned if one looked at the state of us after half the bottle had been emptied. 

Once again, I was glad to live in a house. We had turned up the volume of the music incredibly loud but apparently not loud enough that our neighbours heard Mick accompanied by the Keith and the gang as well. Thank god for that.  
Lucy and I were standing on my bed or jumped up and down really. We sang along into our improvised microphone that was the whiskey bottle and threw darts at the board that we had haphazardly hung onto my bedroom dor. With almost every word from Mick I nearly fainted. His voice seemed to have even more of an effect on me now that I was drunk. And therefore, even our conversations went into an… interesting direction.  
“Can you imagine,” Lucy smirked and jumped down from the bed to collect the darts that hit the wall more than they hit the board. “imagine, if one day you introduced Mick to Paul as your boyfriend.”  
I had to try hard not to let the Whiskey come back out through my nose, I wanted to laugh so hard.  
“And telling him that you had already done it! And Paul… oh god… Paul…”  
She giggled while she got back up onto the bed. She was swaying slightly and had grab my arm to stay upright.  
“Paul wouldn’t like that one bit,” I finished her sentence, trying to get these images out of my head. “He’s so old school. He thinks I have no experience when it comes to boys.”  
The next dart missed its target and hit the doorframe.  
“Eh!” came a voice from behind the door that was now suddenly opened. John pushed his head through the gap with a shocked look on his face and with more caution than usual thanks to my poor aiming skills. He was soon followed by my visibly angry dad.  
“And I don’t like _that_ either, young madam.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you liked it. Lucy's POV coming next. How will John react?


	5. Am I a bad father

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> John reacts to finding Lizzy and Lucy getting drunk. Lucy says some things she regrets.

#### Lucy’s POV

“Shit!” was the first thing that went through my mind. All in all, this was one of the worst possible situations to be in. Why did they have to turn up right at this moment? My father looked at me with such anger that I’d have like to die right there and then. I knew I was in trouble. Thankfully I still held the bottle of Jacky in my hands.  
“I’m not drunk enough to get through this,” I said and took another big mouthful.  
“Lucy Lennon, I think that is quite enough now,” my dad screamed at me and I nearly choked on the drink. To be honest, to drink more was certainly not my best idea. Fucking alcohol!  
Silently I climbed down from Lizzy’s bed and threw a pitiful glance at her. The same look I got from her. We both knew that we would both get an earful for this.  
“Follow me, right now!” was the only thing my dad said and I followed his order. One look at Paul’s face and I could see his anger. I did feel bad, but only slightly. Cheers to the alcohol that made everything in my mind a bit foggy. The next problem I was facing was the staircase. I didn’t know if I could manage getting down.  
“Come on my dear. We always got along great. Don’t turn on me now,” I told her as if that would help. I took my first step – so far, so good. I could hear a wheeze behind me that sounded both amused and angry.  
“John has to wait for tomorrow, if you go on like that,” he said before promptly picking me up and carrying me down the stairs.  
“Thanks, but I could have managed on my own,” I grumbled since my stomach protested the action. Paul only shook his head and made his way back upstairs. Even if I wasn’t religious, I prayed that Lizzy didn’t get into too much trouble. John, who had watched the scene, grabbed me by my wrist and pulled me along with him. He was still visibly angry. At least he only started the telling-off once we got into the car and I really was glad that I had taken that sip.

“What do you think you’re doing madam? We leave you two alone for a few hours and you have to get drunk? Have I raised you like that? Certainly not! I really don’t have a problem if you drink a glass of sparkling wine or something else, but Whiskey certainly goes too far! You’re 17 Lucy!”  
Since I got my stubbornness from him, I couldn’t leave that unanswered.  
“Raised me? Do you even think about what you say? Aunt Mimi might raise me but certainly not you. How could you, if you’re never around? What do I get from you as a father? Okay great, we have money but that doesn’t replace a family-life, does it? Since mum has gone, you’re never happy anymore anyway. Except when your oh so perfect Paulie is around. Even when you’re here, I still have to share you with Paul and Lizzy. For god’s sake dad, can’t you see that we’re hardly a family anymore?”  
I couldn’t stop the tears flowing down my face. Even if half of what I said came from the anger and alcohol, it was still true. John might be there for me when I needed him, but he still wouldn’t know everything about what’s going on in my life. He hasn’t got a clue about my life.  
“Do you really think that?” was his response after a few quiet moments. His voice sounded incredibly hurt. I couldn’t back down now and I didn’t want to either.  
“Yes, John,” I whispered and got out of the car once it had stopped moving. Without another word I went into our house. I will probably hate myself for this tomorrow, but I was too stubborn to give in and apologise now. 

The next morning, I was woken up by rays of sunlight that fell into my room. Why didn’t I close the curtains last night? It was my own stupid fault, so I guess I’ve got to live with the consequences now. That reminded me that I had to face my dad as well. Shit. Hardly awake and already my brain was working over-time. At least I wasn’t hungover. Shower first, face John later? Rather the other way around. At least then I could calm down under the water afterwards. I made my way downstairs, where I found my dad sitting in an armchair and staring off into the distance. Shit, maybe it was all too much yesterday.  
“Dad?” I questioned hesitantly and entered the living room. It took a moment for him to look up and I could see that he immediately furrowed his brows. I knew that look only too well. He always looked like that when too many thoughts fly through his head. What had I done yesterday? Fuck! Lucy Lennon, you truly are the most ungrateful daughter in the world. This man tries his hardest to do everything right for you and how do you repay him? By telling him that he’s the worst father ever. Well done, you.  
“Sit down, Lucy,” he said, while pointing at the couch. I obeyed immediately. For a moment it went quiet. We both didn’t know how to start. We had a few arguments, but I had never said such things to him.

“Do you really see it like that, Lucy? Am I a bad father?” he asked me, and I could hear the sadness in his voice.  
“No!” I answered at once and looked at him. “Dad I’m really sorry about what I said. I’m an idiot, but I do on rare occasions feel a bit neglected. I know you need Paul and music but with that I sometimes feel like I miss out. I know I’m 17 already and that it’s not usual to still need one’s parents that much but I see hardly get to be with you so seldom anyway.”  
I got up and sat down in front of him. Smiling softly, I took his hand into mine. “Dad please don’t take what I said yesterday seriously. I was tipsy.”  
“But you were right, Lucy. What do I contribute to your upbringing? Aunt Mimi does the most of that and when I’m here you have more freedom than you should have. Fuck, I am a bad father. No matter how, you always come up short, even if you should always come first. I know the separation from your mum wasn’t easy for you and it’s hell to see her even less than you see me. Darling, I’m so sorry that I’m a complete failure when it comes to being a dad.”  
In that moment I really didn’t know what to say. He really took me by surprise with his words. I knew that I should probably disagree, but I couldn’t. I was way too busy with comprehending what he just said. Did he really think he failed? Couldn’t he see what became of me? Even if he wasn’t around a lot, he had done everything for me. It was time for him to be happy again instead of me hurting him even more. 

“John Lennon, you listen to me very carefully now. You are one of the best dads ever. No matter what you tell yourself at the moment, it’s not true! Your daughter talked total bullshit. She loves you very much and would never want to replace you. Even if you were on tour more than you are now, I would never think, that you don’t love me or that you aren’t there for me because you are. I can always call you and you would always listen to me. Even now you still try to call and tell me goodnight every night when you’re on tour, and that all though I’m 17 already. Dad, you are the best!”  
To underline my words, I press a kiss to his cheek. Yes, there were moments when I thought he spent too little time with me, but he still wasn’t a bad father. No, certainly not.  
“Love?”  
“Yes?”  
“I love you, too. And we will have more time for each other now, without Paul,” he said grinning. I could see how moved he was by my words. Were those tears in his eyes? Cute, my old man.  
“You without Paul? That can’t last longer than two days. Tomorrow, at the latest, you’ll see him again.”  
“As if I had to see Paul every day,” he complained, and I started to laugh.  
“Dad stop fooling yourself.”  
“Lucy, we’ll both go shopping tomorrow. Without Paul. How does that sound?”  
“Sounds like my wardrobe finally gets to see new clothes. But you have to promise me something,” I said, still grinning. He raised one of his eyebrows questioningly. I knew many women loved that look. To be honest, I always tell him I couldn’t see why women would fancy him, but even I knew he wasn’t bad looking. In fact, I had a really handsome dad.  
“You can’t buy me a princess costume. If it were up to Paul, Lizzy and I would still be walking around in those.”  
That brought a smile on my father’s face. Finally.

“I still feel bad about it. It really was stupid of me,” I murmured into Chris’ chest. I had cuddled up to him. John had said, that we would have these days for just the two of us, but I allowed him to see his love for tonight. I had mind with me as well. I had wanted to spend the night with Chris. That meant that not only would dad be around but Paul as well. I have to say it does turn me on a little bit, but I certainly wouldn’t want to be caught during sex by either of them. My father probably still thought that Chris and I haven’t done anything but holding hands and a bit of kissing. That was the reason he allowed this relationship without protests.  
“Come on, your dad forgave you for that, love. You both are just stubborn,” he whispered into my ear, only to nibble on my earlobe right after he finished speaking.  
“Yeah, I know, but do you know what has been on my mind all day now?”  
“Now, but you’ll tell me now.”  
I could hear the grin in his voice. That earned him a light punch into his stomach.  
“My dad hasn’t had a relationship for nearly seven years, and do you think he does something to change that? No, not one bit. Of course I know, that he sometimes has someone when he’s on tour but that can’t make anyone happy.”  
“Hmm, well your father lives for his music and for you… oh and for Paul of course.”  
“Exactly and for Paul. I have this feeling that he is just as happy with Paul as he was with mum. Is that stupid?” I wanted to know and painted little figures onto his stomach.  
“Lucy, you think too much, you know,” he told me softly and kissed me right after. Maybe he was right, and I was just imagining things. Now though, my attention was fully focused on my boyfriend.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'd really love to know, what you think of this. Please leave a comment. 
> 
> Next up will be Lizzy and Paul's reaction


	6. Awkward conversations

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Just Paul and Lizzy talking about that evening and Mick.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have given Mick Jagger a wife and kids in this. It's not like anything else is very accurate so, just go with it.

#### Lizzy’s POV

Shit! This wasn’t good. This wasn’t good at all.  
I stood in front of my bed, not daring to move, as I watched dad follow John and Lucy and carry her down the stairs. I tried to prepare for the worst. Tried to imagine what he could say to me. Tried to stop myself from shaking. I let myself fall down onto the bed when my knees gave in.  
I could hear Paul’s steps coming back up the steps. They sounded far away as if I had cotton wool in my ears. I wanted to be able to think clear, to be able to defend myself but the alcohol didn’t allow that. It fogged up my brain and made clear thinking impossible. Shit. That much for, we could estimate how much alcohol we would be able to tolerate. Well done, Lizzy. 

“Elisabeth McCartney,” growled my dad when he came back into my room. He looked like a tiger ready to attack. It didn’t manage to pull me out of the haze I was in.  
“What the hell were you thinking?”  
I really wanted to answer, to explain, but my body just wanted to sleep. I was so incredibly tired all of a sudden.  
“Hey… hey! Lizzy, everything okay? What’s happening?”  
Immediately his tone changed from angry to worried. He sat down next to me and I suddenly felt the warmth of his hand on my face.  
“Tired...” I mumbled and let myself cuddle up to him. Great. Should have known that the effects of the alcohol would only show themselves later on. 

When I woke up… god, I didn’t even know which body part to give my attention to first. My tongue felt like sticky fur and the taste probably resembled the one you get from licking a rat. Great comparison, I thought to myself more sarcastically than not. I turned myself around with the greatest effort. There was a hammering in my head with every move I made. At least the blinds had been closed by someone last night. Moaning, I reached for my nightstand. I was relieved to find a glass filled with water and two aspirins next to it. I sent a thank you to my dad and the inventor of these pulls before I swallowed the bubbling stuff in one go. Just as I put the empty glass back down, the door opened quietly, and my father stuck his head inside.  
“You awake then?” he asked softly and came over to me. His expression was soft, but I could see the held back strictness in his eyes. Even if he was holding back for now, the telling off would come. I closed my eyes and sighed, pressing my face into the hand that was stroking my hair out of my face. The silence that followed wasn’t very pleasant and I tried to break it with an apology. But my father knew me too well and stopped me.  
“We can talk later, okay? Freshen up, first. You smell as if you had bitten into a heap of dung.  
“How lovely, dad,” I retorted. Grinning, since he seemed to have calmed down. “But at least you know now, what I have to endure every morning when you try to give me a good morning kiss.” 

“Cheeky as ever, I see. You must be feeling better then.” The grin on his face grew with every second. “If you’re hungry…”  
“Meeh,” was my answer.  
“Thought so. It’s good then, that I didn’t prepare anything.” If he continued on like that his grin would soon reach around his face. Not even the ears could stop it.  
He left my room not long after that but not before he stuck his tongue out at me. He really could act like a five-year-old sometimes.

After getting rid of that dead rat in my mouth and wasting a lot of hot water under the shower I finally felt human again and decided to get dads lecture behind me as soon as possible. Down the stairs I went with an increasing feeling of dread. At least the staircase was nice to Lucy yesterday, well thanks to dad anyway. Once I reached the bottom, I could see that he was waiting for me.  
“Ah there you are. You want some breakfast?”  
Disgusted I looked at the egg-thing my dad was eating at that moment.  
“What time is it, by the way?”  
“Just turned 11 o’clock,” he answered.  
“Oh, that’s alright then.”  
With one hand going through my hair I sat down at the kitchen table, facing my father. If he had something to eat, he was usually a bit more good-natured than otherwise. Especially in the mornings. At least that made for good starting conditions. And those would be even greater if I started with an apology, which I set out to do.

“Dad, about yesterday… I’m sorry. I don’t know what we were thinking…”  
There was a moment of silence. All that could be heard was the sound his jaw made when he chewed. Slightly creepy, I have to say. He swallowed.  
“Oh, well if you don’t know…”  
Oh no, that didn’t sound good at all.  
“Dad, come on. I’m 16. At that age you try out how much you can drink, get blind drunk and whatever else. You _still_ do that… that was… ah, I know it was stupid, but…”  
“Yes, it was stupid. Well said. And it’s not even the fact that you drank half a bottle of whiskey. That’s bad enough but you’re right at that age you try stuff out. I wasn’t any better…”  
My heart slowed down at those words.  
“…And I know that there are far worse people your age and I am glad you keep away from those. At least I hope so. Because, you know, if you’re so old-school you don’t have much of a clue as to what’s going on…”  
Oh, so that was it. I totally forgot that he heard that. His hurt tone and the slightly sarcastic intonation only worsened my bad conscience. I tried to find a way to respond to that.  
“Dad… I… I’m sorry. That I said that and… that you had to hear it. But… this might just be a of little consolation, but all parents are like that. John, too. In some things you both are just still a bit too… naive, you know? A bit gullible.”  
“I know what naive means.”  
I couldn’t help but sigh.  
“I know. I just don’t know how to explain it differently. I can just sometimes see it in your reactions when Lucy or John start the topic of boyfriends. You always tease me with that, saying that “he” will come ‘round once your away. Nan is the same. But all of you would never even consider the thought that I could actually have a boyfriend. It’s not that far out you know.”

For the first time in my life I couldn’t say what my father was thinking.  
“Do you have…?”  
“No! no. And you always destroy your own chance at finding out first if you always claim to have a say in that matter and whatever else it is. Or your comment about that chastity belt before you left for your last tour was just so _unnecessary_. That’s just embarrassing. We’re not in the 19th century anymore.  
“Can you make a decision – old-school or former centuries?”  
Finally, I could see a smile creeping back onto his face.  
“Both,” I grinned and ducked out of the way of a thrown oven glove. There was another silence and at some point, I stood up, grabbed his empty plate and put it into the dishwasher.  
“You don’t have to try to suck up to me.”  
This time it was my turn to throw the oven glove. My oh so loving dad only laughed at that.  
“Idiot!”  
I wanted to leave the kitchen with that but stopped when I heard his next statement.  
“Oh and you can forget about going to that Stones concert, you know that right? Not that you start making out with that old guy backstage.”  
“Daaad!” I complained and searched for an object to throw. I couldn’t find anything. Messing up his neatly combed hair would have to do. I managed to be quick enough that he couldn’t catch me before I got away.  
“You can forget about me not going to the concert. Mick has wife and kids anyway.”  
“Oh and who would want kids with that guy?”  
I closed my eyes for a moment, took a deep breath and whispered into my dad’s ear: “Maybe not kids, dad – but sex. For the simple reason that he is incredibly _hot_.”  
I almost moaned that last word and could see how the hairs on the back of his neck stood up and his eyes grew incredibly wide. I have to admit that saying that took all of my courage. I shivered just at thinking of talking to my dad about that – but he knew that I wasn’t opposed to that from yesterday anyway. I have nothing to lose.

I had to get out of the kitchen as fast as possible then and ran up the stairs to my room. That action made my head spin again and so I let myself fall on my bed. I could feel the blood rush to my cheeks now. But just the picture of my dad who was probably still sitting at the kitchen table, in shock, made it all worth it.  
If he would ever recover from that?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always Kudos and Comments will be greatly appreciated.


	7. princess

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> John and Lucy go shopping. The band meets up in the studio after.

#### Lucy’s POV

“Dad, you promised me no princess costume,” I complained laughing, when John came around the corner with a pink dress and the matching tiara. Seriously, who sold that kind of stuff in the adult section? Or the question should probably be who bought stuff like that?  
“Oh, I know darling, but I couldn’t just walk past it. Don’t you want to try it on?”  
“Only if you send a picture of it to Paul and I get to write the text with it,” I agreed, grinning since I already had formed a plan. That I would also send the pic and a comment to Lizzy my old man didn’t need to know right now.  
So, I took that weird thing from his hands and went to put it on. I could hardly keep myself from laughing. Proudly I presented the dress for dad and tried to act as conceited as I could.  
“Servants should be bowing for me,” I spoke pompously, and dad bowed down as low as he could.  
“Excuse me, your highness, I don’t know where my manners have gone,” John spoke, playing his part perfectly. “Milady, may I tell you that you look absolutely ridiculous?” He looked at me questioningly and with a straight face.  
“For such rudeness I should have you whipped. But I’ll let it go this time.”  
“Oh. how generous of you,” he said and stood back up. When he pulled out his phone to take the picture, I couldn’t help but smile foolishly. I posed and dad took the pictures.  
“Alright hand it over then,” I told him and took the phone out of his hands.  
“I could swear I get to hear from Paul what awful things my daughter comes up with,” he complained but he also still had a grin on his face.  
I was busy searching for the cutest photo and sent it to my second dad along with the following text: “Paul, once again I’m sorry for the whiskey-thing. Hope you can forgive one of your princesses once more. :) Love you. Lucy xx”  
Grinning, I sent the message and then pressed forwarding. I picked Lizzy’s name out of the contacts and added a few lines to the message I had sent to Paul.  
“Hope your father didn’t lecture you too badly. This picture should calm him down or do you think he’ll still be mad afterwards? John at least isn’t. Oh, and I won’t let myself be forced into such a dress ever again. I look like I was twelve.”

I sent that second message and proceeded to delete both of them. My dad didn’t need to know just yet what I had written.  
“I’m now gonna go change into something else. This dress is worse than any rag you and mum ever put on me when I was little,” I said, shaking my head, and vanished back into the changing room. While changing I managed to get a little look at my dad who was silently looking at something on his phone and smiling to himself. I could swear it was the pictures from before. We often had fun together, but it’s been a long time since we laughed so freely as we did just now.  
“Dad?” I called out to him when I was just putting my jacket back on and walking out of the changing room.  
“Yes?”  
“Could we go into the studio and make some music?” I asked him and my dad immediately smiled at me. I knew that he had once again wanted to jam with me for a long time now but for about 3 years now I couldn’t do it. When I was fourteen, I had realised how badly I missed my mum. Her, dad and I had often sat together in the living room and just made music together. At first dad and I just kept on doing it, keeping to the tradition, but the more I understood that my mum really wouldn’t come back, the less I could make music.  
“You sure?” he asked, still sounding unsure.  
“Yes, I am.” I kissed his cheek and took the clothes I wanted from his arms. We made our way to the check-out and payed for them. 

Not even half an hour later we were at a little studio my dad and Paul had bought.  
“You could have driven like a normal human being, you know.”  
“My baby needs a challenge from time to time,” he protested, and I just rolled my eyes. Dad never had been the best driver, but he loved his Rolls-Royce.  
“Looks like Paul, George and Ringo are here too.” I said pointing to the cars.  
“I hope that doesn’t change anything.”  
“No, quite the opposite. At least there’s someone here who can actually play the guitar,” I grinned and dodged out of the way when dad tried to playfully hit me for my comment. Even he knew that George and even Paul were way better at playing the guitar than him, but he wasn’t bad. It’s just that George and Paul were incredibly good.  
“You might not be good but I’m still playing guitar in a famous band.”  
“Of course, dad. Good thing Paul taught you the difference between a banjo and a guitar,” I said and entered the studio quickly.  
As soon as we opened the door and stepped inside, Lizzy almost ran us over. Still she barely registered us being there and vanished into the bathroom.  
What was that? From the direction she came from we could only hear laughter. I didn’t really want to know what the guys had done this time.  
Still, we entered and were immediately greeted by the others.  
“Of course. If the McCartney’s are here, the Lennon’s arrive soon after.”  
“Of course. When Mr Harrison is here, the level can’t be high,” I retorted and stuck out my tongue. 

“You just wait, missy. I’m gonna chase you away just like I did with Lizzy,” he said and jumped up. He was just about to get me when I hid behind dad.  
“Oh no. Please George, forgive me. I’ll be good today, I swear,” I apologized immediately. When George had something planned with you it never ended well. The last time he chased me, Paul’s beloved cardboard cut-out of Elvis that he kept in the studio got damaged. He was missing a head ever since. George and I had to listen to him for an hour going on about how childish we were and how much that thing meant to him. We obviously apologised a lot, but he still wouldn’t talk to us for a few days. And he called _us_ childish. To get him to talk to us again, we baked a cake for him. That was always a good way to get him to talk again.  
“Alright, I’ll have mercy on you this time,” he said and sat back down. I breathed out relieved and looked at Paul. He just stood up and left the room. The request to follow him was clear as day. I tried to prepare myself mentally. If he wanted to speak to me alone, that couldn’t be good. It shouldn’t matter to me, but he was my second dad who might be very angry at me. It was after all me who said all that stuff about Mick. We reached the little office that was part of the studio, where I let myself fall onto the small couch that was there. I had slept on it a few times while my dad had to record something or worked on a song. 

“That picture of you was rather cute,” he smiled, and a heavy weight was lifted off my shoulders.  
“Thanks. Dad really wanted to me in it. Hope you accept my apology.”  
“Of course, sweetie. That’s not even what I wanted to talk to you about. It’s about Elisabeth,” he said sounding worried, making me raise my eyebrow. I could swear I looked just like dad now. When Paul used her full name, it had to be serious.  
“If it’s about that stuff I said about Mick, Paul – that was just fun. Just stupid girl talk.”  
“She said she wanted to sleep with him,” he spat it out like it burned his throat. Oh shit, what happened that Lizzy took such measures to prove a point to Paul?  
“Why are you telling me this?” I asked to try and understand him. I had a feeling it wouldn’t end well for me.  
“You have to talk to her, Lucy. I know she isn’t five anymore, but Mick? That guy’s almost as old as I am. You have to get her to forget about him. I don’t want my girl to be pregnant at 16 and certainly not from a guy like him. I know Mick, he’s not the most well-behaved guy,” he muttered. I could hear his anger. Why did I have to be her best friend?  
“Paul, I can try to talk to her. Maybe it calms you down if I told you that she would never sleep with him. She’s far too mature to lose her…” I made a break there and took a few deep breaths before I could continue. This was far too embarrassing. Not even my dad knew that I wasn’t a virgin anymore. And he will for sure only get to know that when I’m pregnant.  
“…virginity to a musician. But Paul, no matter what, we are still girls who fancy celebrities. Just because our fathers are celebrities doesn’t change that.”  
Paul seemed to find this conversation just as hard as me, still he just nodded and sat down next to me.  
“Thank you, Lucy,” he said and wrapped his arm around me. I cuddled up to him.”  
“You’re welcome. If it makes you happier and not angry at us anymore.”  
“How could I be angry at you two for too long,” he grinned.

We could hear a creaking sound coming from behind the door and at the same time we both jumped up and opened the door.  
“Ouch!” complained my dad and Lizzy. Had they both been listening in to our conversation? Oh god, I hope they didn’t catch too much.  
“You haven’t, have you?”  
“Of course not,” they answered simultaneously, putting on an innocent look. Oh no, that just couldn’t happen.  
“That asks for revenge,” was my first reaction and I threw myself at my best friend. She ran away screaming right away. Good for me, that I am faster than her. I managed to catch her and pressed her down onto the couch in the room where we had been in before. George and Ringo just looked at us, amused by what they saw.  
“Ooh a fight,” George exclaimed delighted. “Have you got enough beer, my friend?”  
“Yeah, that’s gonna be fun,” the drummer answered, laughing. Lizzy and I both threw annoyed glances at the two of them. As soon as we looked back at each other we burst out laughing. Typical for us. I let her go and tried to hear something from our dads but there wasn’t anything to be heard.  
“I bet they’re drinking beer right now,” Lizzy said, and I could just nod. The rest of the day was spent making music and winding each other up. All in all a great day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoyed.


	8. In the studio

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shenanigans in the studio and a "serious" talk with dad.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There will be a few more chapters of family fluff before the plot "thickens" and Lucy and Lizzy really start planning. Thanks for being patient.

#### Lizzy’s POV

Okay, yes, John and I had listened in. I blushed from just listening and had to refrain myself from hammering my head against the door. That wouldn’t have gone unnoticed. But… why the hell did dad take this so seriously? I know parents are always slightly strange and sensitive when it comes to that topic – but really? Mick? A nearly 40-year old adult with wife and kids. Of course, my dad knew him better than I did but still, I’m 16 for fucks sake. As if he would risk his family for a teenaged groupie.  
And he really should know that the image of famous people isn’t always accurate. John and Paul were also said to pick up girls from the front row every time after a show. Not like they did that either. And Paul was always quick to point that out. So, one should think that he would have realised that the same was the case with Mick, but no…  
Argh my old man really will drive me insane one day. I had to talk to him again it seems. That’ll be embarrassing. 

There was no opportunity for that for the rest of that day. We all sat around in the studio and played on the instruments that were there. Lucy for the first time in a long while tried herself at playing the drums. When she was a little girl she would love to sit with Ringo, and he’d let her have one of the sticks to play with. Now, Ringo smiled despite Lucy not having gotten any better at playing the drums. But you could see in his eyes that he was slightly worried for his baby. He had never liked anyone else apart from his bandmates touching his drums. But he had always made an exception for me and Lucy. I got another ukulele lesson from George, all while questioning him for a presentation I would have to do in school.  
It got late and since the boys had nothing stored at the studio but beer our stomachs were rumbling. We got a few funny looks for it from George and Ringo but they weren’t better. You could hear that very well.  
“Where are our old men?” I asked my best friend, slightly grumpy due to my empty stomach.  
“I think I know,” she murmured and wiggled her eyebrows. She got that from her dad. I burst out laughing and threw a conspiratorial glance her way. As it happened, we really did find them together, but only sitting next to each other in the office. We made our way over to them.

“Hello you two, what are you doing here?” Lucy asked, sticking her head into the office.  
“That is not your business,” Paul replied.  
Meanwhile we had both entered the office and were slightly perplexed with my dads answer. Is that so? Well that makes it all the more interesting…  
“If you want to tell us something – just get it out,” grinned Lucy and sat down on John’s lap, wrapping an arm around his shoulder.  
“We both know that you’re a couple anyway, so don’t worry about us,” I added and copied her position on my dad’s lap.  
The two of them shared a look of slight shock but remained silent.  
“Oh come on, you can’t hide it for long.”  
“I think we should get those two to bed…,” John said, pulling his eyebrows together in pondering.  
“or we just don’t bring them here anymore. Ringo and George seem to be bad influence on them.”  
“Don’t change the topic now,” I complained, hitting my living cushion on its arm.  
“Leave them, Lizzy. They’re just not ready yet,” Lucy commented.  
“After eleven years? Come on Lucy, the two of them are slow but not _that_ slow.”  
You know that you aren’t out of reach right now, dearest daughter, don’t you? You better watch what you say.”  
“I always talk like that about you. You should know that by now, dearest father,” I explained, smiling.  
“…frost…” snickered John, looking down slightly ashamed for turning against his best friend. “Maybe you should really watch out for what you say. Not that he freezes you with his wand.”  
“See Lizzy,” I explain “that’s how you train your father.”  
With that sentence Lucy managed to get on Paul’s ‘bad’ side as well. We hurried out of the room before the both of them remembered how to use their muscles and came after us. 

“Didn’t we go there, because we were hungry and wanted to organise some food?” I asked once we were in safety, hidden behind a couch. I rubbed my grumbling stomach.  
“Yeah.”  
We looked at each other before turning around and carefully looked over the backrest. Just then we were blinded by the flash of John’s phone.  
“Perfect,” I could hear my father shouting triumphantly, before hearing a noise that sounded suspiciously like a high-five.  
“Shit,” we both murmured simultaneously and looked at each other silently. That screamed for revenge. We found a few picks lying around and so we picked them up and threw them towards our dads.  
“You wanna bet that at least one of them is now lying on the floor, heavily injured,” I asked Lucy, rolling my eyes. I got a nod from her in answer to my question, before we both got back up and looked over the backrest. As suspected – our dads lay there, on half on top of the other and they were both holding either their chest or their stomach.  
“What have I told you,” I exclaimed.  
Ringo and George both started applauding our action. That didn’t stop us from throwing another pick, but this time aimed at them. Unlike our dads they didn’t turn it into a whole play. George rather threw them back at us, which in turn made my dad turn into a rabid grizzly and John looked like a tiger wanting to hunt. They both threw an angry look at George. If looks could kill… They could turn into monsters very quickly if someone tried to hurt their daughters. 

Before this could get even more out of hand, Lucy and I put a leash on our zoo. It was time for the feeding. As much as I would have liked to spend more time with the others – there was something I had to discuss with my dad – and that was a task I had to do on my own.  
A bit later I found myself eating my last piece of pizza. Me and dad were sitting on the couch. We were looking at each other while there was a documentary on in the background.  
He seemed to know that I had something to say.  
“What’s bothering you, love?”  
His eyes shined with mirth. I had to admit, I could see why women would fancy him.  
“Dad, did you really take that thing so seriously?”  
His facial expression told me that he didn’t know what I was talking about. Those old people.  
“Well my comment about Mick.”  
“Oh, well…”  
Oh my god. Did he really just blush? How cute is that? That’s never happened before.  
“Dad, seriously? You really think that of me? Of him?”  
I slid a bit closer to him and tried to fix his eyes the whole time.  
“Dad, he’s 40 for fucks sake!” I laughed a bit exasperated, which didn’t seem to get through to him, though. “Alright, I admit that wouldn’t matter to me.”  
“Lizzy!”  
“It’s true… but see? You already have that look of blank panic in your face again. For god’s sake, dad, this is all so absurd. That you even took something like that into consideration.”  
Still not much of a reaction from him. Did the cold outside cause him to build an armour of ice or why was it so difficult to get through to him. At any other time, half a sentence would be enough for him to know what I wanted to say.  
“Dad, I’ll only say this once, alright?”  
He nodded.  
“I’m… a virgin. And I still will be after the Stones concert.”  
I could feel that he wanted desperately to advert his gaze. He hated these talks as much as I did. But I wouldn’t let him. Not until I was certain that he believed me. I could see he did from his expression, which changed.  
“…or maybe not. But if that happens, it certainly wasn’t Mick’s fault. I promise.”  
Immediately I was pulled against his body and had to endure a tickling which caused my stomach muscles to still ache the next two days.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoyed


	9. The Stones Concert

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The girls finally attend the Stones concert. Keith asks THE question. John and Paul cuddle.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Once again, it's Lucy's POV. The plot thickens, slightly.
> 
> **Since I started working again the updates will be a bit slower. I hope to post one chapter per week**

#### Lucy’s POV

Finally, the day of the concert had come.  
“Oh my god, we’re about to see the Stones live,” muttered Lizzy to herself every few minutes. We have now been standing just behind the barriers that have been put up a few meters from the stage away for 15 minutes. It felt like my best friend would faint any moment now. We have been looking forward to this for months now. I was just glad that our dads had some appointment today, because otherwise they would be here with us right now. We at least got backstage passes through them, so that’s something. The reason why we are where we are right now. The door would only open in a few minutes, so we had time to choose the best spots. Lizzy would probably scream her head off, when Mick will come on stage, but I hope she won’t embarrass ourselves too much.  
“I know sweetie. We will both see an incredible show in a moment but please stay calm. I want to be able to look them in the eye when me get to meet them later.”  
“I’ll try,” she answered, grinning and looked back up to the stage. After the venue had filled and the lights went out to signal the start of the show, I could feel the nerves creep up as well. I don’t know how I kept so calm up until now, but I was sure getting nervous right now. I really just wanted to see Mick now and listen to his voice. I could see that Lizzy wasn’t fairing any better, only I wasn’t screaming wildly but waiting quietly. 

The concert was over way too quickly. Lizzy and I sang along with all the songs and enjoyed the show immensely. When most people had left and just a few were left to get autographs I dragged Lizzy over to the bar.  
“You are really pale. You need to drink something, sweetie,” I told her and ordered two cans of energy drink for the two of us. Lizzy had finished hers very quickly. I watched the happenings around the musicians. If the women were throwing themselves at our fathers like this, I really didn’t want to be in their shoes. I’d really rather stick to handball and it didn’t look very bad for me there.  
“That’s gonna take ages like that,” complained Lizzy and looked at the other fans with an angry look.  
“Come on, we’ll go backstage already. That way we have some quiet when they do arrive.”  
I dragged her along with me. She might die from jealousy if she watched these girls any longer. 

“What should I say when I meet him?” she asked and looked at me with huge eyes.  
“How about ‘hello’?” I told her and immediately received a hit on my arm for that comment.  
“Ouch!” I complained and rubbed my arm.  
When we got there, we sat down on the couch and looked around. The room looked just as boring as the ones at our dads’ shows.  
“I would have thought that our dads’d get better rooms by now, but they look just like the one’s here.”  
“Well, they’re just rooms to hang out in. No wonder they look like this,” explained Lizzy and I grinned at her.  
“Proper rock stars need this, I guess. I know that dad would fit in here perfectly,” I agreed.  
“John, yes. Paul, not so much.”  
“That’s true. He wouldn’t like this very much,” I laughed. Next to me Lizzy sitting on her hands. It was a nervous quirk she had from her dad. He, too, was always doing that when he was nervous. 

“I don’t know what to say when they arrive. Damn it, we should have just left, Lucy.”  
“Are you having doubts?”  
“Yes,” she answered sheepishly and looked down into her lap.  
“Too late,” I grinned when the Rolling Stones walked around the corner. Damn, Mick really did look hot.  
“Hi, I’m Lucy and this is my best friend Lizzy. Nice to meet you,” I introduced ourselves. Mick immediately pulled me into a hug. I certainly wasn’t expecting this, but I returned it with a smile. I got a hug from all the others as well. Lizzy, who had managed to stand up by now was pulled into hugs as well and I could see that she was blushing. How cute.  
“You’re John’s daughter, aren’t you?” Mick asked me and I nodded.  
“Yeah, that’s right.”  
“And you’re Paul’s daughter?” he turned to Lizzy, who just nodded. I couldn’t hold back a giggle at the sight of her.  
“She is shy,” I commented her behaviour.  
“Ah okay, I understand. And you aren’t?” Mick wanted to know.  
“No, not so much,” I said grinning.  
We talked for a while. I was glad that I had met some other famous musicians before through my dad. Otherwise I would also act like Lizzy or even worse like those other girls. 

“The show was really good. The atmosphere was incredible. Better than the one at our fathers’ concerts.”  
“Thanks. It was a good show. You stood in the front row, right?”  
“Yes,” I agreed and threw a look towards Lizzy. She was starting to warm up towards Keith, who was talking to her. She really should be sitting here, talking to Mick. Although I doubt that she would manage to get a word out if he spoke to her.  
In that moment, Mick offered me a drink and I took it, thanking him.  
“What is it?” I wanted to know.  
“Vodka and RedBull,” he answered, smiling at me.  
I took a big sip and loved it. It was mixed perfectly. You couldn’t really taste the Vodka, but you could tell that it was in there. That would certainly make this evening more fun.  
“Lizzy?”  
“Hmm?” she turned around to me and I handed her the cup.  
“Maybe it’ll finally make you talk.” I teased her. She just rolled her eyes but didn’t comment it. She took the cup and drank a few sips.  
It took about an hour before she would start to talk to Mick. So, I switched places with her and started an interesting conversation with Keith. The fact that none of us were sober anymore certainly helped with that.  
“How’s John?” he asked.  
“Good. He’s a little stressed but Paul always manages to calm him down.”  
“Your dads have a very interesting friendship. I’ve never seen such a thing.”  
“Yeah, it certainly is interesting.”  
“Is it more than friendship?” he asked me straight up and I started to laugh. The two of them, more than friends? At first that thought seemed absolutely crazy, but what if he was right? What if dad would only be truly happy with Paul? Was it so far-fetched that my dad could be anything other than straight? I mean their relationship certainly went deeper than a normal friendship.  
“No, no. They’re just friends,” I said and left it at that. Keith nodded and that was that. 

The evening was over soon enough. Dad told us to be home by three am at the latest and so we said our goodbyes before heading out. Charlie gave me his drumsticks and Lizzy was given a signed t-shirt by Mick. A bit later we both sat in the back of a taxi, grinning like fools. We both looked back at the evening in total silence. I couldn’t get Keith’s question out of my head. I had heard a few fans talking about them making a cute couple before. Maybe they weren’t wrong. Lizzy and I loved to joke about it, but having someone else mention it to you, that’s something else entirely.  
“Sweetie?” I asked quietly. I didn’t want to speak any louder. The driver should not hear what I have to say. Also, what I wanted to say seemed a bit dumb to me, so I didn’t need anyone else to hear it.  
“Yeah?”  
“Lizzy, I think Paul and dad will only be truly happy together.”  
“What do you mean?” she asked. Confused she sat upright and looked at me questioningly.  
“Keith asked me if there was more than friendship between the two of them. Of course, I said that there wasn’t but what if there is more, than the two of them like to admit? Maybe they just need a hint into the right direction.”  
“You mean we should get our dads together?”  
“Okay, I think I drank too much. Forget what I said,” I relented, and Lizzy nodded, laughing. That idea really did sound more than just a little daft. How the hell had I thought of it?

Once we reached my house, I opened the front door. The two men were surely asleep by now.  
“Ssh, quiet,” I whispered to Lizzy, while I took off my shoes and jacket. I entered the living room, walking on tiptoes. There was still a faint light shining from there. I could soon spot the two men on the couch, fast asleep. John was cuddled up to Paul’s chest, who was holding my dad tightly. They made an adorable picture. What had they talked about, that they fell asleep like this? I could swear that they cried their eyes out over their daughters. ‘My cute little Lucy is almost grown up and only does what she wants.’  
Grinning, I left the room again. Yes, that would be something my dad would say. According to them, we both did grow up too fast. John would never admit it, but I could see how it hurt him sometimes, that I wasn’t as small and dependant on him anymore. Not long and I would move out, leaving him behind. It was a strange thought – leaving dad alone. Knowing that he would be living on his own. I did somehow feel responsible for him. Who would do the housework? Who’d cook? Certainly not John.  
“They look happy, don’t they?” Lizzy asked. She, too, had seen what was going on in the living room.  
“I think no one will be able to separate them, ever again.”  
“No one wants to,” she said, grinning. A short while later we were both lying on my bed and bid each other good night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoyed this chapter.


	10. one concert too much

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The girls are at their next concert. This time it's a Beatles concert. Lizzy has some troubles with going to another concert so soon.

#### Lizzy’s POV

“Lucy – shut up. Oh come on, you serious? I mean it. Stop it!”  
My best friend ignored me and continued to tease me about that Stones concert. It has been totally unfair and more than a little embarrassing. Shit, now I’m actually blushing, just thinking about it. Even my pulse seems to speed up. For a moment I could smell Mick’s deodorant in the air that actually was polluted with the smell of beer and smoke.  
“Hey, earth to Lizzy. It’s starting,” Lucy pulled me out of my thoughts and pointed towards the stage. Yes, only three days after the Stones concert we were already at the next one. This time it’s one of our dad’s shows. They really wanted us to see their new show and hear our thoughts on the performance as well as the new songs.  
It’s not like I’ll hear much anyway and my ears will be grateful for that. There was still a blaring and a beeping from three days ago. At least we were standing far away from the speakers this time. It shouldn’t be too bad, hopefully.  
By now the lights had dimmed and that meant that soon the four of them would enter the stage together. Ringo sat down at the drums not long after and Paul counted them in. As soon as the first chord of “A hard day’s night” was hit, I couldn’t help but relax. We had watched the four of them practice so often that we basically knew their new songs by heart now. It also meant time to think and reminisce. The memories were still fresh on my mind and somehow there was always something going on that hindered me from thinking about it too much. Most of it was just my best friend teasing me for not being able to talk and acting like a twelve-year-old. Other times it was dads who listened in on conversations and then teasing you as well… 

*****  
_“Oh, so I was worried for nothing?”, my dad complained. Lucy and I were sitting on the couch and talked about our usual topic of the last few days – the Stones concert. Paul chose the exact moment to enter the room when Lucy was once again making fun of me._  
_“What do you mean?” my almost-sister laughed and waited for an answer._  
_“Well, I thought she would throw herself at him and imagined the worst-case scenarios,” he shook his head in an exaggerated way and made a face as if he had just seen the most disgusting thing ever. “…and then she doesn’t even talk to him.”_  
_I stood up, without a word and walked towards him, stopping only a few inches before him. I stared at him with the angriest look I could manage. To make the message even clearer pressed my finger into his collarbone. It seemed to work since he actually rose his hands up as if surrendering and his puppy-eyes came out._  
_“YOU -“ I pushed my fingernail further into his clothed skin “-do you really think we would talk about that when there’s a possibility that you could be listening? We have already discussed that in private, don’t worry – every dirty little detail. Just to spare you. I do still need you, after all. I couldn’t risk you getting a heart-attack or something.”_  
_With that I let my hand fall, signalled Lucy to follow me upstairs with a nod of my head. When we had reached the hallway, I had to add: “What do you think is the cause of the red marks on my neck?”_  
_With a wink towards my dad, who was close to turning blue, the both of us stumbled up the stairs. The marks on my neck came from an allergy to a body lotion, by the way._  
*****

At least I knew how to give back as good as I got. Of course, that didn’t end that particular conversation topic but ever since I pretended to not hear him because of the beeping in my ears. Sometimes, ignoring was the best solution.  
Anyway… everything still seemed so unreal to me. As if I hadn’t actually lived through it myself. But it had to have happened. Our souvenirs proofed that. And I still got Goosebumps just thinking about the look on Mick’s face.  
“Lizzy! Oh man, you really have got it bad. Hey! George is pointing at you. They want you on stage.”  
“What?”  
That was a new part they added. They got two fans up on stage to dance for “I’m happy just to dance with you”. Immediately I was pulled back to reality where George really was pointing at me, trying to tell me that I should move. I looked over at my dad who just grinned and winked at me. This just couldn’t be true. I made my way through the crowd in front of us and could feel the jealous glares in my neck. Once I got to the front, I was helped across the barrier by one of the security guys, where I was helped up onto the stage by my dad, personally.  
“You looked so far away. I just wanted to get you back to reality,” he whispered into my ear so that no one could hear it.  
“I’ll kill you!”

He just pointed to the right where my designated spot was marked on the floor. That way there would be no getting in the way. I could feel Ringo’s sympathetic look. He knew how much I hated this – being the centre of attention. On top of that I was having a constant headache for three days now. I really only wanted one thing – quiet and sleep. But no, I wouldn’t of course I wouldn’t get that. So, I danced without much enthusiasm but always in time with the beat. Lucy’s sympathetic looks were all that kept me going. As soon as we got home my dad will be dead. But of course, that was another thing that wouldn’t happen because naturally they had to have an afterparty. However, I couldn’t be talked into attending that as well. Lucy quickly told John where we were going before accompanying me home. Our dads were at least generous enough to pay for the taxi.  
During the ride I was mostly occupied with finding a way to stop the painful ringing in my ears and therefore was not in the mood for talking. Lucy noticed and looked very concerned before asking if everything was alright. I just murmured something unintelligible and was glad when we were able to get out of the car and back to fresh air. The driver should probably get his authorisation checked with the way he drove. On top of my headache I’ve now also got to deal with dizziness and so Lucy had to help me get to the front door. If only I hadn’t gone to the concert tonight. 

“Maybe I should tell Paul…,” murmured Lucy after we reached my room. I only buried myself further into my duvet.  
“Noo. Let him celebrate with the others. You should know from George and Ringo that he and John always vanish somewhere alone after a show. We don’t need to interrupt that.”  
I tried to throw a grin in Lucy’s direction, but the result was more of a grimace. Her answer was nothing more than an unconvinced snort.  
“If you think so.”  
She pressed a kiss to my check, closed the blinds and left with the words: “I’m downstairs if you need anything.”  
Before I fell asleep, I thought about our fathers. Even if I had put down Lucy’s idea from three nights ago as complete nonsense, it still wouldn’t leave my mind. Then there was the picture of the two of them cuddling on the couch when we got home. I tried to look at it all with some objectivity. Their looks, the frequent touches, the amount of time they spend together and just the impression they give off to outsiders… After a little while I came to the conclusion that everyone would think the same about the two of them. The same as Keith – that they were a couple. 

How often had we seen them sad because of the loss of our mothers only to have their better half show up a little later and a smile to appear on their faces? No one who knew them would ever try to separate them. They were just like two magnets with a different polarity, but the ones with a very strong pull. They found each other about twelve years ago and have been stuck together ever since. Thick as thieves or whatever you want to call that. Wasn’t it obvious? Have we been blind this whole time? Or was it just too absurd and only came from the fact that my head seemed like it was about to explode? It wasn’t long before I fell asleep and escaped the pain for a while. Sadly, they hadn’t diminished when I woke up again. The dizziness had gone, though, so that was something. Still tired and probably with creases on my face from sleeping I made my way downstairs. I could hear Lucy, John and dad talking from the hallway. The closer I got to the living room and the noise the more the pressure in my head built up.  
“Could you please talk a bit quieter?” I asked when I walked through the door. While Lucy and John immediately shut up and threw worried glances at me, my dad said: “You look like you downed a bottle of whiskey. But you didn’t drink anything… so… You’re pregnant!”  
Unfortunately, he got louder and louder as he went on which caused me to grimace in pain. I ignored him and let myself fall down onto the couch next to my best friend and her dad who immediately pulled me towards him so I could lay my head on his chest, while he stroked my back. 

“What’s wrong, love?” he asked. My dad had not said a word since his previous statement and was now probably eaten up by bad conscience and jealousy. He deserved it.  
“Headache… and my ears…” I murmured and could feel a hand brushing my hair out of my face before it was laid on my forehead. From the calluses I could deduce that it was my dad’s hand.  
“Hmm, you don’t have a fever. I’m gonna go get you a pill.”  
There it was again, his overly concerned side. If my head didn’t feel like it might explode, I would have grinned at the sight. He sometimes really was an overconcerned teddy bear. Only this time his concern didn’t seem to be unfounded. Someone from my class had had the same. I think it’s called ‘acute acoustic trauma’. That’s how I know that I should go to the doctor as soon as possible. That suggestion was made by my dad not long after, when he came back with a glass of water and pain relief pills. Thanks to the cuddle session I had with John while he was out of the room, I managed to distract myself a bit and calm down.  
“I’m gonna make you an appointment with the doctor…”  
“Dad, it’s in the middle of the night. They’re not even open right now.”  
One look at the clock however told me that it was already 9am.  
“Okay, forget what I said.”  
That’s how out of it I was. I didn’t even notice that the sun was shining… another look at the window however showed a cloudy sky, so no sunshine. I dozed for a bit longer, while Lucy and John talked quietly with each other until my dad came back a few minutes later.

“Tomorrow at three. I’m coming with you,” he announced.  
“But dad, you have this… this thing tomorrow, don’t you?”  
“That’s not important, love,” John explained, still stroking my back.  
“And even if it was, we would still have cancelled it. My daughter is more important,” my dad added.  
“Dad…”  
I really didn’t fancy turning up at the doctor with my dad in tow just like I was a little kid. I’d much rather have Lucy there with me.  
“No, it’s not up for debate.”  
His tone suggested that I should not even try. And if he used that tone, he really must be serious.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoyed.


	11. Plans

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lizzy goes to the doctor and has something to discuss with Lucy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the first (and probably last) chapter with a split POV. First half is Lucy, second half is Lizzy.

#### Lucy’s POV

“Paul, I’m sorry okay? She’s sleeping now anyway, so…” I told him pouting and sitting myself down on the couch. He actually tried to put the blame on me.  
“You should have called me immediately, Lucy. If she’s not feeling good, I want to know that immediately and not only hours later.”  
“I got it, okay?” I complained and looked at my dad who was keeping himself out of this conversation. “Don’t you have anything to say about this?”  
“Lucy, I’m fully with Paul on this. You should have called us yesterday. If Lizzy is ill, we wouldn’t have gone on to celebrate and we surely wouldn’t have got her up on stage.”  
“Of course, you’re sticking with your darling.”  
I really did not see my actions as wrong. My almost sister probably only had some troubles with her blood pressure or something and I did check in on her regularly during the night to make sure she was alright. Why the fuss now, then? We really were old enough to assess a situation like that for ourselves. Lizzy didn’t want me to disturb the two of them either, so I accepted her decision.  
“Now don’t get cheeky, madam. This is a matter of principle. A text message would have been enough. Just something.”  
“Could you talk a bit quieter?” Lizzy asked when she entered the room. I hoped she hadn’t heard our conversation. She really did look awful. I still was convinced to have made the right choice, though. 

While Paul came up with the craziest assumptions straight away, my dad looked after Lizzy. She really seemed to fight with consciousness and slipped away a few times. Meanwhile, Paul actually got into the kitchen and tried to get an appointment at the doctors.  
“I’m driving you to school in a moment. As far as I’m informed only the first two lessons were cancelled,” dad told me.  
“But dad, can’t I stay with Lizzy and look after her?”  
“Oh no. She has my _darling_ for that, as you so nicely called him. Don’t argue, Lucy Lennon. Even if you are good at school, it doesn’t mean that you can just stay at home all the time,” John said with that serious tone he didn’t use very often but I knew then that I had lost this discussion already.  
“George will come and get you after training tomorrow. He’ll bring you home. I have to work in the studio.”  
“Yes, dad,” I grumbled. Paul finally came back. Lizzy could only go to the doctor’s tomorrow. I would really love to go along but I’m sure Paul wouldn’t allow that. I settled for kissing her forehead and telling her to rest.  
“I’ll call you tonight.”  
She answered me with a small, agreeing hum. She looked like she was already half-way to dreamland.  
“Tell me, if she’s feeling any worse,” I tell Paul. He pulled me into a hug and said: “Of course, love.”  
I smiled at him before grabbing my bags and following my dad to the car. Thankfully the school wasn’t too far from the McCartney house. We arrived very quickly, which was good as we were running a little bit late already.

“Have fun, Lucy. Love you.”  
“Love you, too, dad.” I kissed him on the cheek before getting out. Sighing I made my way to the classroom.  
“Hey Lucy, you’re late.” I heard a familiar voice behind me. I turned around and there stood Chris. “How come?”  
“Oh, Lizzy’s not feeling well. Don’t ask me what’s wrong with her. She’ll see the doctor tomorrow.”  
“Tell her hi from me. I hope she gets better soon.”  
“I will. I’ll have to run now. See you before training?”  
“Of course. I’ll drive you there. Now go.”  
I ran to my classroom and sat down on the seat at the very back. My teacher looked at me angrily but didn’t say anything. Geography… never liked that subject and I surely wouldn’t start to like it now. 

Training was great for letting your pent-up emotions out. Today was the same. After warming up we trained shots on the goal, where I could prove how good I really was in the goal. We had a game on Saturday, and we all had to be in top form for it. If we won, we would make the first place in our league. I focused on the balls and didn’t miss a single one. After training I said goodbye to everyone before looking out for George’s car. I found it a bit off to the side. I let myself fall into the passenger seat and hugged him as good as I could manage inside a car.  
“How was training?”  
“Tiring but it went really well. You’re coming to the match on Saturday, right?” I asked. The guitarist only started ahead.  
“No, I can’t make it, sadly. Paul and I have an interview to do.”  
“Sometimes I really hate your job. How am I supposed to play, without the best guitarist there to support me?” I sulked. I really hated it when the guys missed out on something as big as this because of interviews, concerts or tv-shows. I was really tired now. The concert yesterday, spending half the night awake and now the training. My body would be glad when I could get it under the shower and into bed afterwards.  
“Lucy, wake up,” I heard a voice calling out for me. It seemed I had fallen asleep, but it wasn’t George’s voice waking me up but my dad’s. It was also too comfortable here for this to be a car seat. I opened my eyes and stared straight into my father’s face.  
“Hey darling, it’s time to shower and get something to eat,” he grinned. I could only yawn.  
“Have you really carried me?”  
“George didn’t want to wake you. He said you looked really exhausted. I have started to cook. It should be done when you’re out of the shower. Now come on, get up.”  
He gave me his hand and helped me stand up. Still sleepy I dragged myself into the bathroom. I almost fell asleep again from the warm water. After we finished dinner, I really was done for and fell into bed, immediately fast asleep.

#### Lizzy’s POV

“Pfft.”  
Bored, I grabbed the tenth magazine lying around in the waiting room. I really had enough of these gossip magazines with their fake stories and photoshopped pictures. I even picked up a car magazine because I just couldn’t take any more of that.  
“This is a disgrace,” my dad grumbled, “we’ve been sitting here for over an hour now.”  
Immediately after he checked his watch again his eyes fell on me again, with that worried look on his face.  
“Dad don’t worry so much. I told you I feel better already. I don’t have any more headaches and the dizziness has gone as well.”  
“But you still hear that ringing?”  
“Hmm.”  
It was quiet for a while apart from the noise of that toy car a little boy was pushing around, my dad tapping his foot on the ground nervously and my turning of the pages.  
“Dad, you’re making me nervous.” I pressed my hand onto his thigh to stop his nervous twitching. “I’m also sick of this waiting around but that’s not gonna make the time pass faster.”  
“I know. Sorry.”  
Our way of speaking got me a funny look from the woman sat opposite. I grinned back, knowing how we could look to people on the outside. They had to think I was a spoiled brat, who had complete control over her father… well, I didn’t want to be the judge of that first part and the second was just the utter truth… apart from some instances. If it were completely true, John and dad would already have realised that they were made for each other and we would be a patchwork-family by now. Just two girls and our two gay dads. Maybe dad wouldn’t be so overly worried then. Even if I had to admit that it was justifiable yesterday. I really didn’t feel good at all. Never again would I go to two concerts in a few days. I would also wear earplugs to all gigs from now on.

“Elisabeth McCartney,” rang out at that moment and with a relieved sigh we made our way to where the nurse was pointing.  
After the greetings were done the doctor asked me to tell him what had happened. He looked like he had escaped one of those old children movies. He had white hair, a bit of a pudge and that strange thing round thing around his forehead.  
Having told my story, he looked at me as if he thought I was one of those reckless teenagers who drank themselves into a coma, smoked and just didn’t care for their health at all.  
“At least you came here straight away,” he told me.  
After a hearing test and a few other little things, the examination was already finished. It meant I had to take pills twice a day and come back in two weeks. It turned out to be exactly what I thought it to be.  
“You were lucky this time,” my dad told me once we had left. You could still see how this had affected him. I didn’t mention that it wasn’t clear yet, if the pills would actually work. I really didn’t want to stress him out anymore.  
As soon as I walked through the front door of our house, I was greeted by a hug from Lucy who wanted to know how it went. I told her all about it and how I thought the doctor was nice at first but felt slightly mistreated at the end. He would have been happy to hear that I had waited a month after the concert before getting an appointment. Just so he could tell me off properly.  
I let myself fall onto my bed frustrated.  
“Next time, I’ll come along and we’ll give as good as we get. Don’t let him get you down. It’s just those stereotypes pensioners have against us teenagers…”  
“Just a shame, that he wasn’t a pensioner.”  
“Oh, so you’re already back to being a smart ass. You can’t be feeling too bad, then.”  
That was the moment my pillow hit her straight in the face. There were a few complaints about a destroyed hairdo, but I knew she wasn’t really angry at me. We had thrown stuff at each other often enough, that was normal. 

“By the way, Chris wishes you get better soon. He told me to say hi.”  
“That’s nice of him,” I answered still grinning. “Speaking of boyfriends… there was something I wanted to talk to you about…”  
I stopped there, unsure how to go on. Would she laugh at me for my idea?  
“Hm? What? Tell me.”  
“it’s about Paul and John…”  
“Come on. Don’t make me pull it out of your nose. What about the two of them?”  
“I… what you said in the taxi after the Stones concert… I think you’re right.” I told her, trying to ignore her expectant look. That turned into a questioning gaze right after I finished talking.  
“You know, that they’re only happy when they’re together. Know what I mean? You know how dad is sometimes – and John, too. They’re always playing it down, apart from a few moments. But we both know how much they miss someone they can love. As more than just a friend. Properly, you know… We’re also both aware that all candidates so far… have bordered on a lapse of good taste. Although that sometimes had less to do with taste than a lack of sense.”  
Lucy’s shuddering only confirmed my statement. There really have been some witches who could have easily competed with snow white’s stepmother and they easily would have won, too.  
“Anyway… seriously now. Looking at the two of them – how they act around each other. The whole package, you know. Isn’t the solution obvious? Even Ringo and George joke about it and the two of them really aren’t slow on the uptake. The only ones who don’t see it, are Paul and John.”  
There was silence for a bit, before Lucy answered.  
“You mean… we should get them together?”  
“Yes,” I said with conviction, “that’s exactly what I mean.”


	12. Pictures in my head

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lucy thinks about what life could be like with two fathers. She gets pictures she doesn't want in her head and has to flee the house. She also finds out stuff about Paul that she doesn't like.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> New Chapter! Lucy's POV

#### Lucy’s POV

That evening I sat at my desk, thinking this through. Of course, I had already thought about bringing them together. To hear it from someone else though, always seemed unreal. Still, I had agreed. It would not be an easy endeavour, but we would manage somehow. I stood up and started to search for one particular CD. Once I found it, I put it on and turned the volume up. The Voice of Elton John rang through my room and I let myself fall onto the bed. Singing along, I tried to imagine what it would be like if they were actually together. Deeper and deeper I went into these fantasies and soon enough I had a concrete image in my head.   
I would come home from training, tired and once again angry at my dad who had forgotten to pick me up. I just wanted to let off some steam when I heard noises from the living room that were almost drowned out by loud music, so I couldn’t quite make out what the noises were. It meant however that dad was at home. I really forgave him a lot, but this was just too much. I was already putting together a speech, when I pulled open the door to the living room. What I saw before me, as soon as I entered, I really didn’t want to see. Ever. There was my dad, lying on the couch, with Paul on top of him. From what I could make out from my position they were both naked and too occupied with moaning each other’s name to notice my presence. Now I knew what those noises were.

I immediately opened my eyes and shook my head. Where the hell did these images come from? I really did not want to ever walk in on them doing THAT. It was already confusing enough, just trying to get them together. These pictures just were too much for me.   
“I need to get out of here,” I mumbled to myself. Grabbing my iPod, I left my room in a hurry. Of course, I had to run into my dad in the hall and I couldn’t stop my face from going red. Seeing him brought back the picture of him lying under Paul, who was steadily thrusting his hips in and out. NO! I was sure that I looked like a tomato by now. He had to have noticed.   
Dad looked at me, questioningly and raised one of his eyebrows. I knew that he wouldn’t stop before he got an answer out of me. Biting my lip, I tried to come up with something to tell him. The truth was just too humiliating.   
“Lucy, you’re biting your lip. I know you’re making up excuses. Why are you turning red just because you bumped into me? Even when you see me naked, you don’t turn red. I know I raised you so that things like that are not embarrassing, when it’s family,” my father explained, and I sighed. Yes, in this family we knew what the other one looked like, when naked. Believe it or not, before all this started happening with the band, we used to go to nudist beaches. I was raised open to that kind of thing. Now those kinds of beaches are out of question. Not just because of him getting more and more famous but also because once I could think for myself, I really didn’t want to present myself naked to strangers. It didn’t bother me, when it was just my dad and those moments were by now also few and far in between. I never had a problem with that. Even if it now seems like the worst mistake because it made it very easy for me to imagine him with Paul… Fuck!  
“Dad, that’s not it, I… can I just go for a run?” I pleaded with him.  
“Do I have to be worried, Lucy?”  
“No, dad. You really don’t have to.”  
I kissed his cheek and walked out of the house before one could say “The Beatles”. I started running, as soon as I had the headphones on, and the music was playing. I needed to move. 

Lizzy was right. We need to get those two together. But how do you even go about that? Maybe we should organise a romantic dinner? Play spin the bottle until they have to kiss each other? A holiday for just the two of them? Making one of them jealous? I really had no idea what to do. I was pretty sure though, that spin the bottle wouldn’t work. Because then Lizzy and I would certainly have to play as well, and I swore to myself never to play that game again. The last time I was completely drunk, and things got a bit out of hand. Thankfully Lizzy was there and got me out of it.   
How could we do this alone? Well, we weren’t completely alone. George or Ringo could help us. The only problem with that is, would they think it was a good idea or would they call us crazy? Only then did I realise where I had run to. I was standing in front of the studio. I could see that the light was on, so I was in luck. I knew that Paul was with my almost-sister, so it had to be one of the other two guys. I walked the last few meters and rang the bell. I could hear someone walking towards the door and a key being turned in the lock. I’m sure whoever it was, was prepared to greet a fan. For a bit of fun, I pulled the hood of my jumper over my head and as far down into my face as I could. When the door opened, I heard someone say “Yes?” From the voice, I knew it to be Ringo.   
“Well, I… uhm…,” I stuttered, trying hard not to laugh and ruin this too soon.  
“Well, do you want a photo or an autograph?” he asked sounding slightly annoyed.   
“Not really. A beer would be enough actually,” with that I lifted the hood and grinned at him. Ringo smiled at me and pulled me into a hug.   
“I can do that. Just don’t tell your dad.”  
“As if I would ever tell on you. What do you take me for?”  
“Only the best, darling,” he grinned, which made me roll my eyes. 

When we got to the studio, I went straight over to the desk George was sitting at. He was staring at the computer with a frown on his face.   
“Well hello, you must be the receptionist. How are you?” I greeted him.  
“Please tell me your father isn’t here as well,” he said, sounding scared which confused me.   
“What’s going on?”  
“I accidentally deleted the drafts for the new album,” he grumbled, and it looked like he was desperately trying to get them back again. “I don’t know how but they suddenly just weren’t there anymore.”  
He looked at me with desperation and asked: “Do you, by any chance, know anyone who knows this kind of stuff?”  
“I do actually,” I said and saw his eyes light up immediately.   
An hour later the bell rang again. I ran to open the door to let Chris in.   
“Hi,” I greeted my boyfriend and pressed a quick kiss to his lips.   
“I don’t want to interrupt you or anything but if these drafts aren’t back by tomorrow morning, I’m dead,” George said, standing there impatiently. I sighed but we followed George back into the studio. Ringo handed me a beer while George and Chris busied themselves with the computer. Neither one of them said a word but you could hear the clicking sound of the mouse. 

The next thing we heard from them was George’s exited shouting of “You’re a hero, Chris.” While he was thanking Chris for apparently saving his arse, I heard my phone go off. Who would be bothering me now? I pulled my phone out of my pocked and saw my dad’s picture.   
“Hey dad.”  
“Lucy, I’m getting worried. Where are you? It’s been a while since you went out for a run.”  
“Oh fuck. Sorry dad. I stopped by the studio. I needed a break and George and Ringo were here, so I joined them,” I excused myself.  
I could suddenly hear a ding coming from the speakers in the office. Seems like Paul forgot to shut his computer down once again. Slightly annoyed I went to look.   
“Lucy, I’m coming to get you, alright?” my dad’s voice came over the phone.  
“Yes, sure,” I answered, slightly distracted, while looking at the page that was still open on Paul’s computer. I just couldn’t believe what I saw. Paul had actually signed up to a dating site and was chatting with women. He had just received a message from Bethany. Lizzy will freak, when she hears about this. Shit, how are we supposed to get him together with John when he was meeting some women from the internet? I quickly took a picture of it and left the room again. Back outside I said goodbye to Chris who was just about to leave. Then it was high time to tell Lizzy about Paul’s secret dates.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'd love to hear your thoughts on this.


	13. Pictures in my head 2.0

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's Lizzy's turn to have pictures of the dads stuck in her head. And then there's that thing with the dating site...

#### Lizzy’s POV

It took everything I had to suppress a scream when I woke up in the middle of the night. I grimaced, not knowing if I should laugh about my dream or if I should cry. Moaning desperately, I let my head fall back into my pillow and closed my eyes. I tried to get rid of these images in my head.   
_Lucy and I had just gotten home from a party. It was shortly after midnight. We were expecting a slumbering John, so we opened the front door as silently as possible. We just about managed to avoid falling over the bag I had packed my clothes into. Someone seemed to have left it just behind the door. I would be sleeping at their place tonight since dad had some promo stuff to do today – for once not with John but with George.  
Instead of a quiet house, we were welcomed by some ambiguous noises coming from John’s room. Lucy and I looked at each other sceptically before we carefully sneaked along the hallway, making our way towards the pale brown bedroom-door that was slightly ajar. Those were definitely two male voices that were trying to outdo each other with the volume of their moaning. It wasn’t hard to realise who was responsible for them. My best friend turned around to me, her eyes wide with surprise._   
_Even if that should have been proof enough, my hand still moved towards the door to push it slightly further open. That enabled me to see the two entwined, writhing bodies. My dad was on top of John, almost burying him underneath his body, while John’s legs were wrapped around my father’s waist. Just then they both came to a standstill with John throwing his head back in ecstasy._   
A desperate, animalistic sound left my mouth and I turned around on my bed, frantically trying to think of anything else. Shit. We wanted to get them together, but have we ever considered the consequences? Ugh. I shivered just thinking about it. These pictures would not leave me until the day I die… We have to make sure that scenes like this don’t happen in real life.

I stayed in my bed for a few more minutes, trying to get back to sleep. It didn’t work. Giving up, I made my way to the kitchen to get a glass of milk. Maybe we still had some bananas somewhere. They somehow always helped me when I couldn’t sleep. I was just about to close the fridge when I heard steps quietly approaching. Then there was a whispered “Buh!” really close to my ear, just before two hands grabbed my side. I flinched and just about managed to stop myself from shrieking. With a punitive look I turned around to face my dad, who held up his hands in surrender. For a moment I considered pouring my glass of milk on his pyjamas, but I refrained.   
“Will you ever grow up?” I grumbled, before the pictures from my dream came back to me and made me blush. At that moment I was more than glad that it was the middle of the night and my dad couldn’t see my red face.  
“Doesn’t look likely,” he said, slightly late. He put his arms around me completely this time, seeming a lot more tired than I first thought. “But that’s why I’ve got you. You always show me how it’s done.”  
I grinned into his neck.  
“What would you do without me…”  
I let go of him to drink my milk. Meanwhile he grabbed the last banana from the fruit bowl.  
“Hey, I wanted to eat that,” I moaned.  
“Well, too late.”  
His oh so sweet smile turned into a cheeky grin. He peeled the skin and bit into the fruit while I could only nip on my milk. 

“Why are you still running around here anyway?” he murmured, his mouth still full. Once again, I could feel my cheeks heating up.   
“I could ask you the same thing. You probably aren’t able to sleep because you miss your darling, hm?” I covered up this slightly embarrassing moment for me.   
“You really could think of something new by now, you know.”  
His statement stung a bit, so I grabbed the rest of the banana, he still held in his hand, in order to cover my discomfort.   
“Ey!”  
I could see how he crossed his arms but didn’t react to it at all. I just ate and thought of possible answers to his sentence. Should I steer him into the right direction already? It would be the perfect opportunity…  
“Dad…” I started, trying to find the right words. But my father could see immediately what was up with me and interrupted me.  
“Lizzy, seriously - I find it amusing as well, but don’t fixate on it. John and I are friends. Nothing more.”  
Was I only imagining things or was there a hint of uncertainty and doubt in his words? Even if – his words still hurt.  
“Are you sure?” I asked quietly, cursing my quick wit for disappearing right now. I was expecting an answer, but my dad pulled me back into his arms, burying his nose in my hair.  
“Sweetie, it’s not easy for me either to be alone. I miss your mum, too. But John… that’s just wishful thinking. You hear me?”   
His voice sounded soft. I could feel tears threatening building up in my eyes. I desperately tried to cling onto that note of longing in his last words. And hearing how the was trying to suppress a sigh, I knew… the thought wasn’t that irrational. Dad longed for love and apparently also for… for John.

Back in my bed, my alarm clock showed me that it was almost 2am. My dad’s words were still going through my mind.  
 _“But John… that’s just wishful thinking.”_  
Goddamn it, dad – who’s wishful thinking? Mine? Lucy’s? _Yours?_   
The lump that had formed in my throat grew bigger and bigger and the tears finally flowed over. Only now did I realise what Lucy and I had planned on accomplishing. It would be hard. Incredibly hard. I knew my dad and I knew John just as well. Both of them were stubborn as can be. It would be ages before the both of them would even admit to themselves what they were feeling.   
I shook my head. I had to talk to Lucy again. Tell her what just happened. So, I grabbed my phone which already showed me a message from my best friend. With my eyebrows raised I opened her text.   
_“I really have to talk to you. It’s about your dad – and somehow about mine too… Tomorrow, 4 pm at the Starbucks and then back to mine? John’s not there, you could stay the night… Lucy”_  
That text left me confused. I answered with a short text and agreed to her suggestion. It’s not like I would go back to sleep anytime soon. It actually took me two more hours before I managed to fall asleep. 

Just after 4 pm I sat next to my best friend in the nearest Starbucks feeling totally worn-out. It was a quiet day today which was good for the conversation we needed to have.   
“You don’t look very well, sweetie…” Lucy said, looking worried.   
“I know,” I murmured, sticking a strand of loose hair behind my ear. “No wonder after the night I had…”  
“Another sleepless night because of Mick?” she teased me, but I could feel that she wasn’t as happy as she usually was and that she only said that to brighten up the mood.  
“If only…” I answered, sighing and smiling bitterly. “Woke up last night because of a not so… ‘appetizing’… dream.”  
Am I wrong or does it seem like she knew something?  
“Don’t tell me you also had pictures in your head of them…”  
“Arrghh! Shut up! Don’t make them come back…”  
We both shuddered and looked at each other with a hint of disgust.   
“You too, then?”  
“Seems like it. But I guess we’ll have to live with that, once we get there.”  
“It will be a long way before we get there…”, Lucy sighed, and I knew how right she was.   
“That’s not all though, right?” she continued.   
“No. A few minutes later I bumped into dad in the kitchen and once again teased him about John. He said, that… that him and John was just wishful thinking. I shouldn’t fixate on it and that the two of them were really only friends.”  
Lucy stared, absentmindedly, at the seam of my top, taking a sip from her coffee.   
“Wishful thinking, huh?”  
“Yeah, that’s what he said. And I know my dad. There was definitely some longing in his tone, and he had to suppress a sigh.”  
“Oh, really?” Her tone somehow reminded me of a bad Sherlock Holmes imitation. “Maybe it won’t be as hard, as we thought. I mean, if there’s already something there from Paul’s side…”  
“…which it sounds like…”  
“…we now only need to find out, how my dad feels.”  
“Yes,” I agreed, already trying to figure out how to accomplish that.  
“…but let’s worry about that later. Before we get to that, _I_ have something to tell _you_ … and I don’t think that you will be very pleased about this… since it’s going to make this harder.”  
“Go on, say it.”  
Her secrecy would drive me crazy one day. When I heard her depressed sigh, my stomach tightened, and I had a bad premonition.   
“Your dad is registered on some kind of dating site thing and he’s writing with some woman called Bethany.”  
Even if it probably was unintended, her voice sounded derogatory and even I pulled a face when I heard that name.  
“I saw it the last time I was in the studio.”  
“Oh great…”, I mumbled, burying my head in my hands. “Our fathers really don’t make this easy for us.”  
“No, they really don’t.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'd appreciate every comment and kudos you're willing to leave.


	14. Chapter 14

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Another Chapter from Lizzy's point of view. They set off on their mission.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the long wait. I've been on holiday. Here's a new chapter. I hope the next one will be up quicker.

#### Lizzy’s POV

My dad took me to a little café close to the gym. It wasn’t very well known which meant that we were safe from fans there and could enjoy a quiet evening. That is, if dad didn’t try to mess with me. He seemed to be in a good mood today which was good for him. I would have given as good as I got.   
“Well-“ he asked “-how’s it going? In school? Have you got a boyfriend by now?”  
The panicked tone in his voice was clearly audible at the end of that sentence and I couldn’t help but laugh.  
“Why in such a hurry now dad? First you want to keep me away from any male person that isn’t you or John and now it can’t go fast enough? What’s up with you?”  
He mumbled something I could not make out and took another sip of his coffee before he continued.  
“Speaking of boyfriend… well, ehm, I wanted to talk to you about something…”  
I could guess where this was going but irrationally hoping that I was wrong I decided to make fun of this to get a moment to mentally prepare myself.  
“You’re gay and in a relationship with John. Am I right? Certainly took you long enough.”  
“Lizzy,” he complains, “I talked to you about that, haven’t I?”  
I didn’t let his words, or the memory of his speech intimidate me. Instead I looked at him very closely. I’m quite sure now, there was longing in his eyes. Longing for John. But it seems that Lucy and I are the only ones to see that for now.  
“This is not about John right now… You know I’ve been wishing for someone by my side for a long time now and… I have met someone.”  
“Exactly. Fourteen years ago. It was John.”  
“Elisabeth,” he warned me and I decided to let it go for today. “So, I’ve been registered on this online dating site for a while now…”  
“I hope not on Tinder. That really wouldn’t suit you and it would freak me out.”  
This thankfully helped relieve the tension from my remark about John and he stuck his tongue out at me.   
“As I’ve said, I met someone on there,” he continued, “and I think this could become something serious.”

Even if I thought I was prepared for everything, I was not prepared for this. I could see that he was desperately trying to tell himself that this was something serious but still. How could he be so blind?  
Thankfully that was the moment his phone rang. It was one of the guys telling him about a meeting in the studio that seemed to be important. I didn’t really care what it was about, I was actually glad. I sent a message to Lucy and arranged to meet up earlier than we initially planned. Shortly after we were both sat on my bed with my dad’s laptop in our lap.  
“So… we should really think of something to do about Beasty Beth,” my almost sister told me to get us started on out topic for this meeting. She even got her “Sherlock Holmes” tone of voice out for this.  
“Beasty Beth? Are you serious, Sherlock?” I laughed because of the absurd nickname. She could be a really lovely lady – but I still didn’t want to see her at my dad’s side. That was already reserved for someone else.   
“I couldn’t think of any better word to make an alliteration, sorry.”   
She had a crooked smile on her face which must made her look incredibly like her dad. After that there was nothing to be heard apart from the tapping sound of the keyboard and the clicks of the mouse. It didn’t take long before we got to the first hurdle. His password.   
“Well, any suggestions?” she asked me. He was my father after all.  
“Shouldn’t be too hard, right? Or do you expect some complicated code with numbers and letters that is 20 characters long? He couldn’t remember that. It sometimes is a miracle that he remembers lyrics or chords.”  
“No, you’re right,” she confirmed. “But we’ll see. So, first try – how about your name?”  
“Good idea. Then my mum’s name, my birthday, hers…”  
We tried all those, but they didn’t work.  
“What’s suggestion number five?”  
“What about… John? His birthday, his name”  
A few seconds later we were actually logged in. If that wasn’t a clear sign, I don’t know what is. We looked at each other but we didn’t need to say anything. We both knew that our suspicions were getting more and more real.   
“And there she is. Beasty Beth.”  
“That sounds like an awful name for a porn star,” I tell her.  
“Or a title for it,” She agrees, laughing. But we really had to keep to our mission. We wanted to get some information before dad came home – probably with john – and probably not before midnight but we were curious after all.  
“So, there’s a inbox with loads of emails from BB.”  
“Do we really want to go through with this? I mean… what if this really goes too far, Lucy?”  
Suddenly I was plagued with doubt. It still was different to get information out of him by asking cleverly disguised questions. But hacking into his account and reading his personal emails.  
“Sweetie, of course there’s classier ways to do this. But we both know this wouldn’t last anyway because he is so attached to John. Your dad would just be hurt once again when it inevitably comes to an end. And who knows how long it would take for him to then get into another relationship – even if it was dad.”  
I sighed.   
“Okay… you’re right. But still… if this comes out…”  
“He’ll be thankful once he gets together with John.”

The goal justifies the means, but I still had my doubts about it – after all, it was still written in the stars whether it would ever happen and I don’t know where to find a ladder big enough to reach those and maybe manipulate a word or two. In the next half hour, we definitely managed to get us into big trouble. I have no idea how we got the idea, but we actually arranged a meeting with Bethany in dad’s name, with the intention of turning up there ourselves. We didn’t think any further than that. And so, it came that we sat in a coffee shop next to a park and waited for a woman to arrive that we really didn’t know anything about.   
“Oh god, this was such a bad idea…” I complained for about the tenth time in a minute. In the last hour the bad conscience I had towards my dad grew unbelievably big. The lump in my throat wouldn’t vanish anymore and I felt slightly faint.   
“Don’t pass out on me now,” my best friend warned me, “I will not do this alone.”  
I couldn’t get out more than a ‘hmm’. And in that moment a woman with brown hair that we by now knew from a few photographs walked towards us. She was looking around, seemingly looking for someone she apparently couldn’t find. No wonder…  
We watched her for a while, hidden behind the menu. She looked like a very nice woman, which didn’t really help this situation. I was just about to tell Lucy to just go and give up on this, but my best friend grabbed my arm and dragged me along with her – directly towards Beasty Beth.

“Lucyyy, …” I whined one last time, hoping she would change her mind, but she just looked at me, determined to pull through with this. Not long after she sat herself down across from Bethany. I followed timidly, hanging my head, but I still let myself sink down onto the chair next to Lucy. If anyone found out about this, we will be in so much trouble.  
“Are you Bethany?” she asked politely while I maltreated my bottom lip.   
“Ehm, yes… Yes, I am,” the woman answered, bewildered by our sudden appearance. “And who are you…?”  
“We’re Paul’s daughters.”  
“Ah… Paul only ever talked about one daughter, but okay…” she took this inconsistency with a relaxed and friendly smile towards us. “Where is your dad? And what are you two doing here?”  
My best friend ignored her first question and immediately went to answer her second question.   
“We wanted to talk with you and ask you to keep away from our dad in the future.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you liked this. In the next chapter we'll see how Bethany reacts to Lucy and Lizzy's request.


	15. Feeling Guilty

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lizzy and Lucy's conversation with Beasty Beth and Lucy's thoughts afterwards.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> New chapter. Back to Lucy's POV.

#### Lucy’s POV

Alright, I know that we got ourselves into real trouble here. Why did I have to inherit the stubbornness from my dad? If I got something in my mind, there was no stopping me. No, I wished that Lizzy had stopped me. Beasty Beth looked at me with an open mouth. Yes, my words were a bit harsh, but we had to somehow get rid of her.  
“Girls, I know you only want the best for your father. But I think Paul can decide this better than you do. You’re still kids.”  
She smiled at us and even if this sentence was sort of an insult, it wasn’t meant in a bad way. She really made it hard for us to hate her. I’ll have to rely on my annoyed, slightly-angry Lennon look. Mine is not as good as dads and nowhere near close to Auntie Mimi’s, who can make anyone tremble in fear with just a look, but I have managed to copy a few things.  
“Listen here. First of all, I’m 17 and certainly no kid anymore. Second of all, you don’t actually know Paul. He’s not the one for you. Find someone else and be happy. You can’t have our dad because he belongs with someone else.”  
“Ah, I see. You’re trying to set Paul up with someone else and I’m getting in the way. Are you sure, she’s the right one for him?”  
“Yes!” was Lizzy’s immediate response, making me think I had misheard her. Seems like she finally found her voice again. I smiled at her in thanks, before turning back to Beasty Beth. 

“Alright, I’m gonna make you two a suggestion. You tell me why the two of them need to be together and if your arguments make sense I’ll stay away from Paul,” she smiled at us.  
Now I was speechless. Should we really talk about our fathers with someone who is a complete stranger to us?  
“We’re just going to grab our bags,” Lizzy told Beth and dragged me along to our table. Once we reached it, she immediately started talking to me.  
“Lucy, I don’t know what to think of that. We can’t tell her about John and Paul.”  
“You’re right. We cannot mention John, but should we say no?”  
I looked at her questioningly since I felt helpless right now. This situation was a bit overwhelming to me and I knew that Lizzy didn’t fare any better.  
“We don’t have to tell her that it is a man. I mean if we can convince her that they do belong together, then we will have done the right thing.”  
I could hear that she was doubting this as much as I was.  
“Okay,” I said, before grabbing my bag and walking back over to Beth. 

“Well, come one. You do need to actually tell me something.”  
“Ehm… yes. Well the both of them have known each other for ages,” and so my best friend and I started to talk. We tried to describe it as accurately as possible without mentioning who we were really talking about. Some things we had to twist to seem a bit more female but all in all it was still John. I didn’t really like the amount of information we gave out, but we didn’t have another choice. There was no other way out of this situation. We started this and we couldn’t stop it anymore. Beth listened very patiently. When we were done, I sank back in my chair, hoping she got what we wanted to say. There was silence again and Lizzy and I threw worried looks at each other. We only had this one chance to get rid of her and it just had to work.  
After Bethany was quiet for two minutes, she finally spoke up.  
“The two of them really do belong together.”  
Once again, I looked at Lizzy, but this time with relief written on both of our faces. Lizzy had a huge smile on her face that reminded me so much of her father.  
“Yes, that’s why you have to stop writing with Paul.”  
“Alright, girls. You won.”

Sighing, I lay on my bed and stared at the ceiling. I still felt guilty when it came to Paul. How the hell did we even come up with this stupid idea? I would have loved to confess to him immediately, but Lizzy and I swore not to say a word about this. And of course, she had to go just now and abandon me. She went to stay with her grandad in Liverpool for a week. I would have loved to go along with her. Why did she have to leave right now? Even calling her was of no use. I needed her here. Taming both our fathers and the other two guys on top of that on my own was almost impossible. And of course, Paul had to come by earlier and talk to dad. I could hear them talk, only by accident, obviously. Paul seemed really sad and didn’t understand at all why this woman he met online would not write to him anymore. Naturally John comforted him immediately – that’s what best friends are for. Dad listened and told Paul that she would surely write again and that she was probably just busy right now. If only they knew…  
I hated to see them like that. Dad was sad because Paul was, and Paul is sad because we screwed up. What if we were wrong and they really did not feel anything for each other but friendship? What if they really were just friends and we messed up Paul’s chance to find a woman for himself. All in all, we were in really big trouble. If our plan failed Lizzy and I would probably end up with detention for the next 40 years. 

“Lucy,” John asked reluctantly. I turned my head towards him and saw that he was standing in the doorway, looking at me questioningly. Of course, he noticed that I wasn’t acting like my usual self. He’s my father. How was I supposed to hide my bad conscience from him?  
“What’s up dad?” I asked smiling. He then entered the room fully. It seemed like he was hesitating for a moment but then he came up to me and sat down next to me on my bed. I moved towards the wall, making some space for him.  
“What’s up darling?” He pulled me into his arms.  
Great, what was I supposed to tell him now? There was no way I could tell him the truth, so I had to come up with something quickly.  
“Paul isn’t feeling good, is he? Lizzy told me he had been sad for a few days now.”  
“Yeah. Well, how should I put it… it’s a bit hard right now.”  
John sounded like this thing bothered him just as much, which surprised me.  
“Will he get over it? Dad, I know it’s about a woman.”  
“Lucy…” he stopped and seemed to think about what to say. I looked at him. What was he keeping from me?  
“Yes?”  
“You once again know too much already. Paul just had his hopes up and was now disappointed. You know how that is.”  
I couldn’t miss the slightly gleeful tone in his voice as if he was happy that it didn’t work out for Paul. Maybe our plan wasn’t so bad. Maybe John really did feel more for Paul.  
“Paul’s grown up, sweetie. Don’t worry about him too much. So what are we doing today?” he changed the topic and signaled that this was something I should let go. If only he knew...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let me know what you think of this chapter. I'm always curious to know.


	16. Feeling Guilty No2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> We're back to Lizzy's POV and we see Paul's reaction to Beth ending contact. Also Jim.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's finally here. A new chapter. Sorry again for the delay. There's so much going on right now. My brother got married, I made the wedding cake, I'm back to work, ... I hope it'll get better soon.  
> For now, please enjoy this chapter.

#### Lizzy’s POV

«Pfff…»   
With an exhausted sigh I let myself fall back on my bed. I felt as though I had run a marathon and written a maths exam on the side. In other words – I felt physically and mentally so drained that I could probably sleep for 24 hours. The initial relief that we would be rid of Beasty Beth from now on made way for not only tiredness but also a really bad conscience. How could I have done that to my father? How could I think I had any right to decide over his future? What kind of daughter am I?   
While the first tears made their way into my eyes, I buried my head in the pillow. I didn’t even have enough strength left to imagine how much better dad’s life would be with John by his side. It didn’t take long for me to fall asleep.

A soft knock on my door woke me back up.   
“Hi sweetie,” my dad greeted me when I returned to the land of the living. There was a small smile on his face. It seemed like he hasn’t yet checked his mails.   
“Hey,” I mumbled, rubbing my eyes.   
“Why did you go lay down? Are you not feeling well?”  
He sat down next to me und tried to fix the chaos that calls itself my hair with a grin on his face. I kept my head down. I couldn’t look him in the eyes at the moment.   
“Everything’s alright,” I croaked, trying to change the topic of this conversation as soon as possible. Something less important. And what could be better than talking about food?  
“What’s for dinner?”

It turned out that we didn’t really have anything in the house, as is normal. And since we were both too lazy to leave the house again, we ordered a pizza.   
“By the way, you grandpa called before,” my dad remarked once he put the phone back down and let himself fall down on the couch. “He asked if you could take the time to visit him for a week, since you’ve got your holidays coming up. You two haven’t seen each other in ages.”  
“Yes!” I agreed and immediately jumped up to get to the phone. I wanted to call back and tell him. In the background I could hear my dad laugh about my enthusiasm and something that sounded like “If only you would be so happy when I get back from tour”. After that the only sounds to be heard where the soundtrack of some film and the sound of a bottle of beer being opened. 

I know that he would have loved to come along himself, after all he hadn’t seen his dad in ages either. But his job once again didn’t allow for that. Sometimes he must really hate his job.   
“Will you drive me?” I asked him anyway, while the phone was still ringing. After all tit would take more than four hours to drive up to Liverpool from London. My dad threw an indecisive look in my direction.   
“Darling, I don’t know what our schedule…”  
“Then look it up,” I interrupted him gruffly because in that moment I could hear the unmistakeable voice of my grandfather.   
“McCartney?”   
Even through the phone he sounded a lot like dad, and I could immediately see his slim figure standing in the kitchen. Meanwhile my dad made his way to the kitchen to take a look at his calendar.   
“Tell him I said hi,” he whispered when he walked past me.

“Hi grandpa, it’s me.”  
“Oh Lizzy. How are you dear? Has your father told you everything?”  
I laughed because he once again used that tone that suggested that dad would be in trouble if he forgot something. Sometimes he still treated him like a young boy and it was amusing to watch. I love to watch them interact. They were so close, which wasn’t really astonishing considering that grandpa had to raise dad and uncle Mike mostly on his own.   
“Yes he did,” I reassured him. “That’s actually why I’m calling – when should I be there?”  
After that I listened to my grandfather making plans. Talking about suggestions for what to eat for dinner, favourite meals that I haven’t eaten in a long time, planning to repaint the storage room together on to remembering memories from childhood when we used to go down to the sea.   
In the middle of the conversation my dad reappeared in the doorframe and gave me a thumbs-up. When I then told grandpa that he would also see Paul he was over the moon. We kept talking for ages. At some point we turned it to speaker so that dad could join in as well and we talked and laughed as if we didn’t see each other soon anyway.

“Alright, time for bed now,” my dad told me, still laughing and got rid of the empty pizza boxes. While he went to the kitchen, I just curled up even tighter on the couch, not wanting to get up again today.  
“I can’t carry you upstairs anymore, you know,” dad laughed and wiped a few stray strands of hair from my face. I mumbled something which would turn out to be a big mistake because the next moment I was thrown over his shoulder. He carried me up the stairs to my room through my constant protest. Once we got there, he let me fall on the bed, before he stretched himself, which made his back make cracking sounds.   
“Dad, you’re getting old,” I remarked and immediately corrected myself. “Sorry, I forgot – you _are_ old.”  
“And you’re too cheeky, madam,” he said and in the next moment threw himself on me. The slatted frame protested under the added weight and even though it was getting late my dad knew no mercy. He kept on running his fingers over my sides, tickling me. Only after endless pleading did he let go of me. He ran his hands through my hand again and after a “good night” left my room. As soon as the door closed behind him the guilt came back. And even with the happy evening we had and the late hour it took me a few hours to fall asleep.

That meant that I wasn’t very pleased the next morning, when my alarm clock woke me up at five in the morning. I fumbled around with my phone, found the snooze button and turned back around with my cover pulled up to my nose.   
“Sweetie, you need to get up,” I could hear my dad’s voice reach my ears. The usual nasties he used to get me out of bed were scarily absent today. With how perplexed I was, it didn’t make it hard for me to sit up. My dad however had already left again and judging from the sounds he was on his way to the living room. Frowning I sat there and stared at the wall for a bit, while the dread started to grow. It wasn’t like him to risk his daughter oversleeping. He never let an opportunity go to tease me.   
A thought came to mind while I was mindlessly grabbing for clothes to put on. The fact that the two sneakers I put on didn’t have the same colour only registered later. Did he know, that we…? No that couldn’t be. He would be angry if he did. It also seemed to me that Beasty Beth was trustworthy enough not to tell on us. On the contrary, she seemed very sincere. Which meant that this could only one thing. Dad had looked into his mails and found the message from Beth telling him that she wouldn’t stay in contact with him. 

My suspicion proofed to be right when I saw dad looking gloomy, staring at his cup of tea. Even the toast in front of him remained uneaten. All of that told me how serious this all was. I immediately got the irrational need to run away. I felt slightly sick. To see him like this has always been horrible for me. And now it was even _my_ fault. I just wanted to turn around and vanish back to my room, but my dad spotted me and waved me over to him. He tried to smile but failed miserably. Hesitating, I walked over to him.   
“Hey,” he greeted me with a hoarse voice and tried to hide his face from me. I could see why. He had deep bags under his eyes – proof of a sleepless, restless night. So, he had to have checked his mails after he brought me to bed.   
“Oh, I forgot about your tea… wait, I’ll quickly make you one,” he mumbled suddenly and got up to grab the tea leafs and the water cooker. He still hadn’t eaten one bite. And I still couldn’t get one word out. I only stared at him silently and tried to get rid of the lump in my throat. It didn’t help, it only grew more and more. 

“Here,” he put my breakfast tea down clumsily in front of my nose.  
“Thanks,” I answered but it was hardly more than a whisper.   
“Everything… Everything okay with you? You seem so…” Everything in me was reluctant to finish the question, worrying about the lies that are hidden behind every word.   
“Beth… uhm, the woman I told you about a few days ago…” he swallowed and played with the teacup in his hand. “She stopped the contact. Just like that. And I don’t know why… what… what I could have done wrong…”  
“Oh dad…” I mumbled and just like him I tried to stop the tears from falling. I got up to hug him.   
“I’m sure you did nothing wrong. Who knows, what…”  
I couldn’t finish that sentence. I just held onto him tighter, trying to find a straw to cling to that would give me hope. A reason not to let the bad conscience eat me up.  
“I’m so sorry…” I whispered, running my hands through his thick, dark hair.   
“It’s not like it’s your fault, darling,” he answered comfortingly. 

_If only he knew…_

Grandpa of course didn’t miss his son’s bad mood either, but he kept himself from bringing it up after I threw a warning glance in his direction. When dad drove back home the next morning and I didn’t have to pretend anymore, I broke down. At first there were only a few tears but when my grandfather took me in his arms, surprised by me, I couldn’t hold it back anymore.   
“It’s all my fault,” I sobbed and let myself sink further into his arms. “We did that…”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, comments/kudos will be greatly appreciated


	17. Super Uncle

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lucy and Ringo have a little heart to heart about Paul.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here it is. A new chapter. Back to Lucy's POV.

Lucy’s POV

My body moved along to the loud music and I sang along with my favourite band’s music. If I was hoarse by tomorrow it really wouldn’t surprise me. At least the studio was slightly out of town and no one would be bothered by the loud music. I was sure it could be heard outside. It was the first time I was in a really good mood since that thing with Paul and so I danced my way through every room. I could hear my music in every room, and I thanked dad internally for letting me come here before he showed up. It wasn’t often that I was here alone. When I was, I would use the opportunity to turn the volume up as far as I could stand. To sort of repay the favour I would clean up a bit.  
_“Say, Candy and Ronnie, have you seen them yet?_  
_Ooh, but they're so spaced out, B-B-B-Bennie and the Jets_  
_Oh but they're weird and they're wonderful_  
_Oh Bennie she's really keen_  
_She's got electric boots, a mohair suit_  
_You know I read it in a magazine, ohh-oh_  
_B-B-B-Bennie and the Jets”_  
I screamed the text into one of the turned off mics lying around. I did get kind of tired, but I would not stop anytime soon. No way. I had to prepare myself for attending my first Elton John concert and that meant learning the text, moving along to the rhythm and sing. I would be sleeping in for a few days after that concert, but I didn’t care about that. My dad has promised me this and we would go there together. In a way it was his own fault. 

“Whoever is listening to music that loud should turn that shit off. I want to work here, and you should be doing the same,” my second dad shouted over my music and I flinched with shock. I hurried into the small studio and turned off the music. With my head bowed I made myself towards where I knew Paul to be and knocked on the door.  
“What?” he snarled. I almost decided to turn back around and leave him be, but I did open the door in the end. Why couldn’t I just leave him alone and leave? He was already in a bad mood. I really didn’t want to see him like this. Especially since I knew the reason for it. Still I entered the room. He didn’t even look back to see who I was, just fiddled with the computer. With all the courage I could muster I walked over to him and hugged him from behind. He flinched before looking up to me. I could see a small smile form on his lips.  
“You’re here?”  
“Yes. Sorry that the music was so loud.”  
“Oh love…” he looked at me with sad eyes, before he turned his chair around so I could sit on his lap. He immediately wrapped his arms around me, and I cuddled up to his chest. I couldn’t remember the last time I was alone with him and cuddled up to him. It seemed like ages ago.  
“Had I known that it was you, I wouldn’t have screamed.”  
“That’s okay. I don’t hold it against you.”

“What’s up with you? You were kind of avoiding me lately, no?”  
Ouch! So, he did notice? How could I ever think he wouldn’t? Yes, I was avoiding him the last few days. Everything was just so damn complicated and every time I saw him, I could see the hurt that we had caused.  
“Nothing. Everything’s alright. I was just trying to give you some space. Dad said you’re sad because of some woman?” I lied and heaped even more onto my bad conscience.  
“Oh sweetie, you’re worrying too much. Of course, I’m sad but it’s not like I loved her.  
“Then don’t let your head hang Mr. McCartney. And John would be really jealous if you cheated on him.”  
“You rat!” he grinned and started to tickle me before I had the chance to get away. I started to laugh; I couldn’t fight him off.  
“Paul, please have mercy,” I managed to get out in between giggles and gasping for breath. Luckily for me, Ringo entered the room just then and Paul let go of me. I stood up quickly and hid behind the drummer.  
“Ringo, help me! Paul’s torturing me again.”  
“Oh, I’m quite sure you deserved it.”  
“She always does,” my second dad grinned, and I sulkily left the room. I let myself fall on the couch in the “break” room. Let them conspire against me. It’s not like I wasn’t used to it.

I must have fallen asleep because when I woke up it was already dark out and I could hear dad’s voice, Paul’s bass and George’s guitar coming from afar. Seems that they’re all here by now. Only now did I realise that my cushion was moving up and down and an arm was holding me. I realised very quickly who it was. It seemed that the drummer had joined me. Typical. First, they tease you and then you even have to share your sleeping space with them. At least this couch was wide enough for two. I still cuddled up close to my uncle. I had them way too rarely. That’s why when they were around, I wanted to spend as much time with them as possible. The four always said that they were like brothers and that really did hit the nail on the head. That’s why I always called Ringo and George my uncles, just like Paul was my second dad and Lizzy was my sister.  
“Hey sleeping beauty, you awake?” Ringo whispered. I just yawned as answer.  
“Do you want to sleep some more?” he continued to ask.  
“No, dad would just complain that I don’t sleep at home.”  
“Then you can tell me what’s up.”  
He sounded concerned and for once very serious. Oh great, what was he talking about now?  
“I’m talking about Paul. He hasn’t yet told us what’s gotten him so down lately and knowing you and Liz you both know the answer.”  
Jackpot. Great… How am I supposed to talk myself out of this? Believe it or not but lying to Ringo was harder than lying to our fathers. He could read the two of us like books. He could detect the smallest lies. It’s not like I lie a lot and certainly not to my dad. It’s just that sometimes it’s necessary for the good of the community or our family.

“Yes, we know.”  
“And?”  
“Ringo, I…,” without wanting it to, all my emotions surfaced. Being spoken to like this makes all my walls tumble to the ground that I had built up when it came to this topic. I didn’t want to, but I pressed myself even closer to him and tried to find shelter in his arms.  
“Hey darling, shh. It can’t be that bad,” he mumbled into my ear, but I just shook my head.  
“Yes, it is. It’s Mine and Liz’s fault.”  
“But why? It didn’t look like that when I saw you earlier.”  
“Because he doesn’t know,” I sniffed while he ran his hand through my hair.  
“Lucy, I know that the two of you like to cause trouble every now and I even taught you a few tricks – but you’re not monsters.”  
“Yes, we are,” I contradicted him. He sighed and pushed my head up slightly so that I had to look at him.  
“What have you done?”  
I remained silent. The thoughts ran around my head. Should I really tell him? I knew that I could trust Ringo. Maybe having my uncle in the know wouldn’t be too bad. Maybe he would just tell me to forget about it and tell Paul. 

No! Ringo wasn’t like that and I would have to tell him now, anyway. There was no way out. He wouldn’t stop asking until I told him everything. I started talking and didn’t stop until I had told the whole story. He listened very carefully and only interrupted to ask a few things when he didn’t understand.  
“So, we got thought that we could get them together. I mean somehow dad had made some allusions and one can see how happy they are together. Even the guys from the Stones suspected that there was something going on between the two of them. If I didn’t know them, I would also think that they were together. Ringo, we just want our dads to be happy and the first step we did only caused one of them to be unhappy.”  
“Wow. I never looked at the two of them in that way.”  
“Good or bad?”  
“I think you could be right. If the two of them really love each other and are just too stupid to notice themselves, then I will help you.”  
“Great and how do you plan on finding that out?” I asked him slightly confused.  
“Let that be my worry, princess.”  
“That doesn’t really help me,” I murmured while he grinned and pressed a kiss to my head.  
“You better go to the bathroom and try to get rid of your bloodshot eyes. John might get panicky and think your boyfriend dumped you.”  
“Alright, I’m on my way.”  
I stood up and turned back around when I reached the door.  
“Promise me, not to tell anyone.”  
“I promise. You know your secrets are safe with me.”  
His smile was sincere and gave me the support I needed. It wasn’t so bad to have an ally in this case. It also felt good to finally be able to talk about it with someone. This thing really weighed heavy on Lizzy and me. Although, I do have to admit that I was happy to hear that Paul didn’t love Beth. That meant it was still possible to get him and John together. Now I just needed to get through this week with Lizzy gone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading. Comments and Kudos really would make my days.


	18. Confession Time

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lizzy spends some time with her grandad in Liverpool. They have a heart to heart and she ends up visiting an old familiar place.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for keeping up with my inconsistent updating and reading. Have fun with this.

#### Lizzy’s POV

Still sniffing I held the cup of cocoa in my hand and tried to find the right words. My grandad was waiting patiently for me while he was opening a packet of my favourite biscuits.  
“Thanks,” I murmured, took one and wiped the last of my tears from my face.  
“Now love, what’s going on? I haven’t seen you cry this much since you were seven and Marc took away your favourite toy. He laughed at the memory and even I couldn’t hide the smile that came over my face. I used to spend almost every free minute with the red-haired boy when I was young, and I shared almost everything with him – except for my favourite toy car.  
“I… I don’t know where to start,” I said helplessly, throwing a timid glance his way. How did one tell his grandfather that you think his son might be gay and that you were trying to get him together with his best friend?  
“It’s always best to start at the beginning, darling,” he laughed, nodded encouragingly at me and also took one of the biscuits.  
“Well… you know dad the best and you know John pretty well by now, yes?”  
He nodded again.  
“So, you also know how dad and John always do everything together?  
“Of course. How could I not? They were already inseparable when Paul introduced me to John all those years ago and they only knew each other for a couple of weeks then.”  
I had to smile again and the shine in his eyes gave me the needed courage to continue. Maybe our idea wasn’t that far reached…  
“And you also noticed how they look at each other sometimes?”  
Despite everything this question still came out very bashfully. But he once again surprised me with his quick answer that seemed to not have any doubts behind it.  
“Even a blind person would notice those, right?” he laughed. “The two of them always seem to forget everything around them, when they look at each other. It really is wonderful to see. And they always smile, when talking of the other…”  
“And that we all live together more or less because we’re always round the other family’s house and that dad and John once slept on the couch, arm in arm?”  
“You probably mean more than once,” he corrected me, with that typical McCartney grin. “But darling, why are you asking me such questions? That’s all obvious. The two of them have always been…”

In that moment I could see the realisation dawn on him. Surprised how quickly he got what I was talking about and embarrassed at the same time I looked to the ground and took a sip of cocoa.  
“Lizzy!”  
There it was – the reproachful undertone. I didn’t say anything, just kept on staring into my drink. I wanted to give him some time to think it all through.  
It took a couple of sips and biscuits before I heard a sigh from him.  
“The youth of today has some crazy ideas sometimes…” he murmured but at the same time ran his hand through my hair lovingly. For a few seconds he looked at me with an unreadable expression and then he continued.  
“But that doesn’t explain why Paul was so down today. Or is that because of John? Did he do something stupid?”  
Those last words were said with the same threatening tone he also used with dad – as if John was a son of his as well.  
“No! No,” I reassured him. The first part is done but I did not yet allow myself to feel relieved. Now came the worst part.  
“Well, as I said it’s mine and Lucy’s fault. Dad has met a woman on a dating site on the internet.”  
“A what?”  
“Oh a da… uhm it’s a bit like the personal ad in the papers, you know, when a person over 60 is trying to find a partner again – just on the internet…”  
„Why over 60? Not so derogatory, young madam. That was very common for young people when there weren’t any oPhones and tablet-PC’s or whatever those things are called.“  
“It’s iPhones, grandpa…”  
“Whatever, same thing.”  
“Yeah sure…” I shook my head and decided to just leave it at that. “Anyway, he has met a woman on there. The messages they wrote were very… well it sounded like it was serious.”  
“How did you get at his messages?”  
I almost chocked on my drink from shock. Of course, he would pick up on that. Doesn’t know the names of any devices but when it comes to passwords, accounts and mails his alarm bells ring.  
“That doesn’t matter now, does it?” I answered. he only threw a short, sceptical look my way before he let me continue. “We didn’t like the idea of dad getting into another senseless relationship that would only end in heartbreak for him. Especially because we are convinced that him and John…”  
I made a helpless gesture with my free hand. Luckily for me I could see that he had understood, and I didn’t need to search for words that just wouldn’t come to me.

“So we arr..nged a mee..ing … w..th… her.. ..nd…”  
“Lizzy don’t mumble into your jumper like that. Come on, tell me. I won’t bite your head off and I won’t refuse to give you Christmas presents. I love you way too much for that. So, come on…”  
I sighed. Sometimes he could be very disarming. Okay, he always was.  
“We pretended to be dad and wrote a message to arrange a meeting. When we met her, we told her to leave him alone. She asked for reasons, so we told her – a modified version of course – she understood and told us that she would stop contacting him and now dad is devastated and isn’t smiling properly and…”  
I began to cry again. I could make out a tissue appearing in my line of sight. I took it, sniffing, and blew my nose. This really was worse than any heartbreak. But it was about my daddy after all. He might get on my nerves a lot, but I love him so much.  
“Oh darling…” my grandad’s calm voice reached my ears before I was pulled towards a slim, bony shoulder and rugged hands ran softly through my hair.  
“It will all be alright… you’ll see. Your dad is not a child of sadness. And he’s got John – he’ll get him to cheer up again soon. Don’t worry too much.”  
I knew that he would have scolded me if the circumstances were different. But the McCartney family is more about sensitivity than consequences.  
“Alright, now let’s watch one of your favourite movies and think about how we can show your dad that he has all he’s looking for and all he needs right in front of him already.”  
I forgot – he’s also always good for surprises. 

“Sleep well.”  
I kissed my grandad on his cheek before closing the bedroom door behind me. I was in my dad’s old childhood bedroom. After a while of turning around in the bed and not finding any sleep I stood back up. I put on my fluffy socks and tiptoed into the kitchen. I stood there, sighing. I knew that I wouldn’t sleep any time soon. I looked out into the darkness and decided to go on a quick walk around the neighbourhood. Some fresh air would do me good to put some order to the chaos in my head. Without any further ado I put on my boots, threw a scarf around my neck, took my jacket off the hook, grabbed the key and made my way out into the darkness. I was immediately hit by the cold. And even with all of my layers I couldn’t help but shiver slightly. Still, I could feel the fog in my head clearing slightly while I slowly made my way along the icy pavement. 

Even if grandad was still somewhat sceptic about the situation, Lucy and I now had one more person on our side. Now only George and Ringo were missing and then nothing could go wrong anymore, right? That didn’t sound too bad. In that moment my thoughts went to Lucy who was alone with the four of them for a whole week. I reached into my pocket immediately but realised quickly that I must have left my phone in my backpack. She would still be up, she never slept before midnight when it was school holidays. Ah well, there will still be time tomorrow. A few more hours didn’t really matter. By now I had almost reached Strawberry Fields. I smirked thinking back to the past. I saw myself running around here with Marc, snowball fights, and hiding from my dad who would make us do housework. As I kept walking towards the red gate, I had to put my hands into my pockets to keep them from freezing. We really did spend every free minute together. My breath created clouds of smoke in the air and I was once again made aware of how fast time passed. How long had I not seen him? Seven years at least. The last I remember was sitting in grandads house and drinking cocoa together. Has it really been that long already? What has become of him? After a few letters the contact slowly faded away. I couldn’t explain the reasons for it though. How would he look now? I tried to imagine him – his red, wild hair, his slim figure – but I couldn’t. A melancholy feeling came over me and I decided to try and find him again. I finally reached my goal and stared through the metal gates into the fields my dads already used as a getaway as teenagers. While doing so my thoughts returned to the point from before. Winter… Christmas isn’t far away. And New Year’s Eve. Didn’t we just start a new year? Didn’t Lucy and I just spend hours lying in the fields of an outdoor pool and get terribly sunburned? I shook my head in disbelief. Sometimes you should really be able to stop time I thought, sighing. I just wanted to turn around and go back home when the sound of a twig disturbed the silence.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Don't worry, Lizzy will be just fine.  
> Also you'll meet a new person in the next chapter (Lucy's POV) that you're not going to like.  
> As always Comments and Kudos will be greatly appreciated.


	19. Motherly Love

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lucy meets up with her mother. They haven't seen each other in a long time. It does not go as planned.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeah it's been some time since the last chapter. There's just so much shit going on in my life and it doesn't seem to get any better.

#### Lucy's POV

After an important match, which secured my team first place in our league, I went home with my dad. For once all four guys have turned up for the match. Usually it was one or two of them. It had never happened before that all of them had been there. I received a hug from every one of them and was congratulated for playing a great game. Still, I was tired and just wanted to go home, take a shower and cuddle up to dad in front of the TV and that’s exactly what I did. John just came out of the kitchen with two cups of tea. I took them from him, so he could sit down. Not ten seconds later I had my head on his chest and he held me close.   
“I can’t believe how big you’ve gotten, Lucy.”  
“Dad, do you really wanna get emotional now?” I asked teasingly but I realised how seriously he meant it when his hold on my waist grew tighter.   
“I wish your mother could witness it all.”  
“Dad, I…” I couldn’t say more than that. I didn’t know how. I couldn’t find the right words.  
“Yes darling?”  
“Dad, mum called me yesterday. She’s in London, well for a couple of weeks but I could spend a few days with her.”  
I knew John still had problems with my mum. He loved her with all his heart when she left us. I was only 8 years old. For dad that was the worst time of his life. I had rarely ever seen my mum since then and it would be nice to get to spend a bit of time with her. I was just worried about John’s reaction.

“Melanie is in town?”  
“Well she arrives tomorrow…”  
“Well, I hope you two have a great time together.”  
“Oh dad, I wish you had someone else. Even now I can hear how hard it is for you to talk about mum.”  
“Darling, it’s not so easy to find someone,” he sighed and absentmindedly ran his hand through my hair.   
“If you were gay, you’d have been off the marked a long time ago.”  
“What do you mean?”  
“Well, you and Paul. You would make the perfect couple,” I explained, wondering what his answer to that would be. Of course, I noticed his hesitation. I could feel how his hand stopped moving and I could swear that his heartbeat picked up speed.   
“Lucy, I know you and Lizzy like to make a joke out of this but get this idea out of your heads. Paul and I are best friends only.”  
“Yes, dad,” I said even if I didn’t believe his words with that reaction. 

***

Brown or black? I was completely overwhelmed. How am I supposed to choose between brown and black? In my right hand I was holding the brown leather jacket and in my left hand the black one. My mother stood at the other end of the shop. She had a call to answer. We were supposed to spend all day together but there was this very important call…   
If Lizzy were here now, she’d tell me which to choose. Even dad could help me. It was so frustrating. Why couldn’t she turn off her phone for the couple of hours we had together? John managed to do it as well.   
“Can I help you?” a nice sales assistant asked me. I nodded and explained my problem to her. Sometimes I just can’t choose.   
“I’d recommend the brown one. It really suits you. Goes very well with your eyes,” she told me. My subconsciousness told me that she was just trying to sell stuff, but she was right. The brown one really did suit me better. Not to mention that I already owned two black leather jackets. So, I listened to the sales assistant and made my decision. My mum was finally joining us again. Just the right time for paying. 

After our shopping trip, we sat in a small café and ate cake. We didn’t really have much to say to each other. My mother was trying to pretend that she was interested in me and my life, but her phone and her messages seem to be more important.   
“Oh, and I’m pregnant,” I continued to make small talk.  
“Ah that’s nice honey,” she mumbled.   
“Yes and I’m also dropping out of school to care for the little worm. You’re gonna be a grandma.”  
“What?” now she startled and looked at me, horrified. Oh, so she was actually listening to me? Good to know. Even the four guys were better at it. She was still staring at me, shock written all over her face.   
“That was a joke, Melanie. I just wanted to get your attention. You were focussed on your phone forever. Why did you even want to meet me?” I wasn’t good with avoiding conflicts. Especially not when I was angry. This woman was supposed to be my mother. I really couldn’t believe it. What even did I have of her? Maybe the lips and the nose. I couldn’t see any other similarities. Especially when it comes to character, I’m definitely my dad.   
“Because I wanted to spend time with my daughter. We haven’t seen each other in such a long time.”  
“And that is all your fault. Apart from a card for birthdays and Christmases you don’t ever make the effort to get in contact with me. Even calls from you are a rarity. Where was the desire to see me then? It’s been over five years now since we’ve last seen each other. Don’t get me wrong but you can’t say that this is because you’re missing me.”

I don’t know where this outburst came from. I was just so annoyed. Maybe it was because of that thing with Paul. It still bothered me how much we hurt him with our behaviour. And now on top of that my mother… It always just ended with us going shopping. I liked having new clothes, but I don’t want my mother’s money. I could get the same things if I asked dad. This just wasn’t a mother-daughter-relationship.  
“You don’t get to talk to me like that! I try to make this a nice day for you and that’s how you thank me? You really have to change your tone of voice. Your father is a bad influence on you. This Rockstar-life just isn’t good for a man with a child. Maybe you should go to a better school, to learn how to behave yourself.”  
“I can’t believe what I’m hearing. YOU weren’t there all these years. Where were you when I lost my first tooth? Where were you when I had important exams? Where were you when I had my first game of handball? Where were you when I was in hospital and could have used my mother? Right, you were somewhere in another country. Dad was there for each of those moments. He did all he could to plan his schedule, so he could be there. He is the only parent I have. You are just some stranger in my life. I don’t know anything about you and you don’t know anything about me. Maybe I was holding onto the memories I had of you too tightly. Maybe I was hoping too much that you could be my mum.”  
“Lucy Lennon! I have tried to build a life for myself to be able to afford this luxury. Don’t you like going shopping without having to look at price tags? My daughter doesn’t have the right to talk about me like this. I’m telling you again, restrain yourself!”  
“I won’t do anything. Thanks for the clothes and the cake. Maybe you shouldn’t call me anymore. You don’t make anything better by taking me shopping twice. You missed my life!”  
I didn’t care that the whole café could hear this conversation by now. All the anger that has built up over the year was now coming out. 

“Lucy, get into the car. I’m parked in front of the door,” someone next to us growled. I looked at him, shocked. When did he turn up here? Shouldn’t he be waiting outside? I didn’t say anything though. I took my bags and left the café. Alright, maybe I should have left the bags there, but I didn’t want to leave the clothes behind. Once I was outside, he started talking to Melanie. All the colour left her face. I gulped. It looked like his words were pretty harsh. He too left the café without giving her a chance to answer.  
“You should get into the car,” at least he didn’t sound as angry anymore. Of course, I followed his order and sat myself down in the passenger seat. Shit!  
“Paul, I…”  
“No Lucy, you didn’t do anything wrong.”  
“But I just shouted at her. I could have exposed who my dad is.”  
“Darling, you don’t need to apologise. You never said anything wrong. People wouldn’t believe it anyway.”  
“What have you told her?” I asked and a cheeky grin formed on his face.   
“That she shouldn’t treat my daughter like a six-year-old and that she had no right to call you a bad daughter when she is the bad mother.”  
“Wow. But I bet you didn’t use these nice words.”  
“You are just as much my daughter as Lizzy is,” he smiled at me before starting the car and driving off. I turned my head towards the window so he couldn’t see the tears I was trying to wipe away. I was just so proud of Paul. He just was always there for dad and for me as well. Lizzy and him really were my family already. Paul might not be biologically related to me, but he still is the second parent in my life. I really was convinced now that we need to get the two of them together. Ah my mother is now a thing of my past. I can really do without her…

“Take your dirty hands off my food,” I yelled at George. He didn’t care though. He just kept eating my fries.   
“Geo!” I complained and frowned at him. But instead of looking at me he just took another one. What was that? Angry I hit his hand, which finally got him to look up.  
“You’re not eating those anyway.”  
“What? I’m still eating! Sorry that I can’t keep up with your tempo. And I can’t wolf as much food down and still stay so thin. It’s just not fair.”  
“Lucy don’t start this again,” my dad reprimanded me annoyed. My mood was so far down from the meeting with mum and so I just ignored his warning.  
“Just order more next time,” I grumbled, pushed my fries towards him and left the table.   
“What’s bugging you today?” I could hear Ringo ask but I just showed them my middle finger and left the room. That my dad would follow me was certain.  
“Lucy, wait!”  
“I don’t want to wait.”  
“You will stop now Lucy!” his voice was now getting stricter, but I just slammed the door behind me. I really didn’t want to talk about anything with him right now. I know that my behaviour wasn’t really called for. But of course, John didn’t leave me alone and stormed after me.

“What the hell were you thinking? I know that you get along well with the guys but going off at George like that is a step too far. I expect you to go back there and apologise.”  
“But he was the one eating my fries,” was my defiant answer. I knew that I was acting very childishly but I didn’t know how else to react at the moment. Without paying any more attention to him I turned up the speakers on the stereo. My dad shut it down immediately and looked angrier than I had seen him in a long time.  
“Lucy Lennon! That’s enough. You can forget meeting Chris anytime soon. You’re grounded for the next month! Even Lizzy is not allowed to come here. Your behaviour really annoys me. Think about how you treated me and the guys today. Where is the daughter I can be proud of?” John shouted at me and I knew he was fuming. But I was now getting just as angry. Grounded? I can’t remember ever having been grounded. Where was my cool dad? Even worse, I can’t see Chris for a month?  
“You can’t do that! I’m seventeen.”  
“Then act like that! End of discussion,” with that he vanished out of my room and left me alone. It really was time to get him together with Paul. Keep him off my hands.   
Angry at my dad, my mum and George I turned the music back on. This day might just be the worst of the year. I really don’t know how it turned so awful. I just wanted to spend a nice day with mum and have fun with the guys in the evening, before falling into bed. 

By now it was half past two at night and I didn’t get to any conclusion. Was I really acting that badly lately? When did that start and how have I not noticed? Sighing I took my phone and called my better half. I just hoped that she was still up so late at night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What did you think of "Mum"?   
> Let me know in the comments. Or just a comment in general would be nice.


	20. Childhood friends

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lizzy went out for a walk and heard a noise? What/Who is it? She's in for a surprise.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> the sentence in italics at the beginning is the closing sentence of the last Lizzy chapter.

#### Lizzy’s POV

_I just wanted to turn around and go back home when the sound of a twig disturbed the silence._

“Hello?” I shouted insecurely into the darkness. I couldn’t stop my heart from speeding up. Why did I go out alone in the middle of the night?!  
“Is someone there?”  
I listened carefully and I could make out steps coming closer. I looked around for anything I could use to protect myself and grabbed the biggest stick from the floor that I could see. The lump in my throat grew bigger and bigger. In that moment I heard a voice that I knew somehow.  
“Lizzy? Is that you?”  
By now I could make out the silhouette of the person approaching me.  
“Marc?” I called back and let the stick fall out of my sweaty hands. I took a couple steps towards him and there he was right in front of me.  
“What are you doing here?” he asked me, wondering. Even with nothing but the light of the moon illuminating us, his red hair glowed.  
“I could ask you the same,” I laughed even if I was still puzzled by his sudden appearance but was soon pulled into a hug. I immediately cuddled up closer. He was quite a bit taller than me now.  
“My god, how long has it been…” I heard him mumble und I only now realised how low his voice has gotten. That on top of the cold that slowly got worse made me shiver.  
“A few years for sure. Und you didn’t change a bit. You just grew a bit,” I answered. I could make out his smirk in the dark.  
“…And you’re even more beautiful!”  
I hit his shoulder playfully for that comment, while we both started laughing.  
“But tell me, what are you doing here at this time?” I wanted to know.  
“I like to go walking at night. And then I saw someone standing here and…”  
“…and you thought you could go and scare them to death?”  
Once again he laughed that deep laugh.  
“Sorry,” he said and ruffled my hair.  
“You’re still the same idiot as you were back then,” I grumbled and tried to get my hair back to at least somewhat presentable. He didn’t reply but put his arm around my shoulder. 

“What brings you here, Ms too good for Liverpool?”  
“Oh stop comparing me to my dads.”  
He threw a surprised look in my direction when he heard the plural form in my sentence.  
“Yes, we’re kind of like a patchwork family. John, Paul, Lucy and I,” I explained quickly and left it at that.  
“It’s a long story. For now I’m visiting my grandpa… and I just wanted to talk a walk. In the future I’ll think about it twice though or I might just die from fright.” At this point I looked at him accusingly. He just grinned.  
“Is that so? …What do you think about going back to your grandpa and hanging out there a bit more? It’s getting cold and my house is kind of full of people right now. There’s people sleeping on the couch, on mattresses on the floor… Family get together.”  
He rolled his eyes and I patted his shoulder sympathetically.  
“Sure. We just have to be quiet. He’s already sleeping.  
“I kind of expected that. He never would have let you leave the house at this time of night.”  
He grinned at me cheekily and began walking towards my grandpa’s house.  
“That’s probably true.”

Not long after we were sitting on the couch, underneath a cosy blanket and a hot chocolate in our hands. It was like when we were younger. Nothing would have suggested that we haven’t seen each other in ages.  
“You kind of made me curious before. How does this work exactly with Lucy, you and your dads?” he started. “Are you living together now or what is going on there?”  
“No not that. But dad and John practically stick together non-stop. We’re either at their house or they’re at ours… Lucy and I are basically sisters by now. We are together just as often as the two men. And I’m as much of a daughter to John as I am to dad…”  
“So a great, big, happy family?” he asked amused.  
“Well, happy is debatable sometimes,” I respond, laughing. “But we have our dads in control so it’s alright.”  
I didn’t tell him about us trying to get them together. He didn’t need to know that… for now at least.  
“Now you have to tell me stuff. What are you doing now?” I asked.  
“I finished school last year and am now in an apprenticeship at my dad’s jewellery.”  
“Well you always liked creating stuff,” I grinned. “Do you like it?”  
“Yeah, it’s not bad. I’d have loved to go to college, but we missed application and my certificate is good enough for the apprenticeship. I can always do it later. But what about you? You are in your 11th year, yeah? Always the clever one out of the two of us.”

He once again tried to ruffle my hair, but I managed to get away this time.  
“Yes, exactly,” I answered once I was safe from his attack. “Together with Lucy. It’s not the easiest but we’re managing quite fine… I’d love to study music after but Dad isn’t really happy with that.”  
“Why? He could help you at the start, you know.”  
“Yes, of course, but he also knows how the business works and what disadvantages the jobs brings. You’re always on the road, your schedule is bursting, and it doesn’t matter if you are in a band or if you’re a musical theatre actor. He just worries in case I have a family at some point, that I wouldn’t be home most of the time… you know how he is. He always looks years into the future and makes himself crazy with worrying about it.”  
Marc smiled sympathetically before he seemed to think of an idea. His blue eyes started to glow.  
“Hey, if you want to study music – you’ll have to sing something for me.”  
I just wanted to complain but he stopped me by putting his finger on my lips.  
“No buts.”  
I nodded from sheer surprise. I looked at him with big eyes while the prickling sensation his touch created spread through my entire body. It took a few seconds before his finger left my lips. But I didn’t get a chance to sort through the chaos in my head. As soon as his finger was gone it was replaced by his lips.  
Taken aback, I was unable to respond in any way at first. Once I finally had it all sorted out, he was already backing away and just looked at me, apologising.  
“Sorry…” he mumbled and looked at the floor, while he started to blush.

I tried to say something, but I just couldn’t find the right words. Instead, I moved closer to him and cuddled up to his side underneath the blanket. A little while later I could feel his check on top of my head. He put his hand on my shoulder and gently started to stroke it. My heart sped up for the second time that night. This time it was not from fear. This time it was because I decided to take initiative. I slowly looked up at him and immediately got lost in his eyes. Up close, like this, you could detect small golden sprinkles in the blue of his eyes.  
I could already feel his warm breath on my lips, we were so close to each other. Just then the door to the living room opened and revealed my grandpa standing there. One hand on his hip and a slight look of disapproval on his face. When he recognised the person sitting on the couch with me and he realised what we were just about to do, he started to blush and a small “Oh” came out of his mouth.  
Marc and I looked at each other. Embarrassed by being caught like this, we moved apart again and looked at our cups of hot chocolate.  
“I’m sorry. I… I didn’t want to disturb you…” he gesticulated slightly helplessly but I could see in his eyes that he was happy with the unexpected visitor.  
“Don’t stay up too long, alright? It’s already late… Goodnight.”

He looked at me with a happy twinkle in his eyes before he was disappeared again. The excited questioning of how we met – and at this hour – he must have forgotten. But I already knew what the topic would be at the breakfast table tomorrow.  
“Grandpa,” we both sighed at the same time and broke out in laughter.  
“Maybe I should really…” Marc said after a while and looked at me with a hint of regret.  
“Okay…” I whispered before we both got up and went to the front door.  
“Have you got any plans for tomorrow?” he asked, while he put on his jacket, and looked at me hopefully.  
“We wanted to paint the shed tomorrow. You could help, if you wanted,” I offered.  
“I’d love to.”  
We both laughed because we knew it would end in a mess because we’d end up doing a battle with the colours. I’m glad I took some old clothes along and that dad fixed the shower before he left.  
“Well, see you tomorrow then,” he said, standing in the doorway. He seemed a bit helpless.  
“See you tomorrow,” I mumbled. We probably had the same thoughts. Should I…? The decision was made when he pulled me towards him and pressed his lips to mine. I couldn’t help but let a sigh escape while I kissed back. I put my arms around his shoulder, and it was now me that was ruffling his hair. His hands on my hips left me shivering and I already loved it that I had to be on my tiptoes to reach his lips.  
We eventually broke apart. He put a stray strand of hair behind my ear before he left and started his way home. 

I hopped through the living room, put our cups into the dishwasher and vanished to the bathroom for a hot shower. A look to the clock told me that it was already three in the morning, but I didn’t care. When I looked into the mirror, I stared at myself for a while with a dumb smile. I was shook out of my reverie by my phone vibrating in my pocket and with one look at the screen I was catapulted back into reality.  
Lucy. And with that I remembered our problem. John. Paul. George and Ringo.  
My happiness vanished diminished immediately. I decided to see what my almost-sister has to say first before I would let myself get really sad again. Since it has already been a couple seconds, I hurried to take the call.  
“Hey sweetie,” my best friend started. I could tell from her tone of voice that something was not right. “I hope I didn’t wake you up. If I did, I’m sorry but…”  
“Hey Lucy, calm down. I haven’t slept yet. It’s all good. Doesn’t seem to be the same for you. What’s up?”  
“It’ll take a while to tell you all of that… you tell me first. How was your day?”  
My plan to take a shower dissolved into thin air.  
“Really good. Gramps already managed to get the thing with John and dad out of me…” – “Of course, he did,” I was interrupted by her laughing. – “and somehow he didn’t even find the idea that strange. Took a while for him to come to terms with my lively fantasy but eventually he agreed with us.”  
“Really? Thank god for that,” she said while I was getting my toothbrush ready. “Oh, and Ringo is also supporting us.”  
“How…”  
“Don’t ask. You know how our drummer is.”  
“That is true.”

“That’s not all though. You sound like you just met Mick. What happened?”  
Shit, was I really that obvious?  
“Well, I have…”  
“Sweetie, I can’t understand you. Are you brushing your teeth right now?”  
“Uhm… yes…?”  
“At this time? What have you been doing so long? I thought you were at least already in bed.”  
“You start to sound like dad,” I laughed. “I’m not a child anymore mum. I can look out for myself. You don’t have to worry about me getting lost here. The house isn’t that big. I’ll always find my room… and I know this part of the city well enough too.”  
“Yeah, you’re right.” I could hear her laugh over the phone. I was happy that I was apparently able to distract her from whatever is going on at home. “But you are avoiding my question. So, finish brushing your teeth and then tell me all. There’s more to tell than you let out.”  
“Yes, Sherlock,” I grinned, washed out my mouth and went over to my room, where I made myself comfortable underneath my thick blanket.  
“Alright, I’m listening.”

“Do you remember Marc?” I asked her.  
“Marc, Marc… oh Marc from around the corner in Liverpool? The red-haired one?”  
“Yeah, that’s him.”  
“Okay, what’s with him?”  
“…”  
“So… I take it that you met him again?”  
“Yes.”  
“And how was it?”  
“…”  
“Lizzy! You can’t be serious! Really?! Have you kissed? How often? Was there tongue involved? When? Where? Oh my god I’m so happy for you!”  
“Uhm yes, yes, once, no, about half an hour ago, outside the front door and thank you.”  
“Awwww!”  
“Oh wait… It was twice. Or rather two and a half. It’s just that the first time I didn’t react, because I was too surprised and the second time grandpa interrupted…”  
“Your grandpa? Oh dear…”  
“Ah well, he left again after like a minute. But I already know the conversation we’re going to have during breakfast tomorrow.  
Lucy laughed because she knew exactly how nosy Jim can be in these kinds of things.  
“I’ll think of you, sweetie.”  
“Thanks, very kind of you. We’ll paint the shed tomorrow. He’ll come to help…”  
“Aww. But you do know that you will look like you fell into a bucket of paint after that, right?”  
“Not just me. Him as well,” I told her, laughing.  
“I can already see it… in the end you’ll be showering together and…”  
“Lucy!” I scolded her and felt how I started to blush.  
“What? Oh darling, you get fazed way too quickly.”  
I just grumbled in return.

“But enough about me. It’s your turn now. What happened today?”  
“Oh, don’t start on that. I had a fight with my mother. And John. And I feel like everyone else as well.”  
“How did that happen?”  
“My so-called mother was on her phone the whole time she spent going shopping with me. Hardly even looked at me. So, I told her that she didn’t have to meet up with me again since she never really was a parent to me. Paul actually agreed with me on that… what my father thinks of that – he doesn’t know yet. But he grounded me. I can’t see neither Chris nor you… just because I was in a bad mood during dinner and according to him, I have been annoying him with my behaviour these last few days.”  
I could hear her sniff and wished I was with her to hug her tightly.  
“Sweetie…” I whispered sympathetically. I wanted to tell her something to make her feel better, but she was faster.  
“Was I really that bad, Lizzy? Am I really so intolerable, that he…”  
“Lucy, stop this bullshit. Don’t even think like that. You know how stressed John is. And then with Paul being miserable on top of that…” – at this point I had to take a deep breath myself. – “that must be worrying your dad as well. Maybe there’s even stress with appointments with the band or something like that. You got along really well lately. He really doesn’t have a reason to say anything like that. This will sort itself out, I’m sure of it… or should I call dad and tell him he should talk to John? Should I do it?”  
“That’s very kind of you, sweetie, thanks… but I have to tell him about my mother anyway. Maybe it’ll change something… I don’t know. It’s probably best to just sleep and see how it looks in the morning. We can talk again tomorrow, alright?”  
“Sure. Keep your chin up and sleep well, okay?”  
“Thank you. You sleep well too. Talk to you tomorrow… well today. Love you.”  
“Love you too.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'd be really happy with comments.


	21. Christmas shopping

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lucy and Lizzy go shopping for Christmas presents. John is being strict.

#### Lucy’s POV

I sat in a little café with a cup of hot chocolate with whip on top and waited for my best friend to arrive. She came back to London yesterday and now we wanted to go shopping for Christmas presents. It felt weird to be off school a whole week before Christmas. But this year hasn’t been normal anyway. So much has happened – good and bad. I didn’t really know how to process it all. And then I had that talk with my dad constantly replaying in my head. He had made an exception today and let me go out for Christmas shopping but other than that he had stuck with the grounding. I’m just glad that Lizzy was finally back. It would all be much easier with her here.  
Sighing, I took my phone out of my pocket and saw that I had a new WhatsApp message. Some friends were planning a party and I couldn’t even attend. I hated it. I never would have thought that dad would be so stubborn with this. How did I deserve this? Looking back, I didn’t know if I really had been that awful. Of course, there were moments when I acted out but those were rare. Dad’s reaction somehow just didn’t make sense to me. I had even apologised to George, who just laughed at me. He wasn’t so uptight about it. 

“I thought you’d be a bit happier to see me,” I heard my sisters voice next to me and immediately jumped up.  
“Finally,” I said grinning and pulled her into my arms. I hadn’t even realised that she had come in. I didn’t really care though. She was here now and maybe now all would be better.  
“How are you, love?” she asked me immediately and I sighed. I would rather talk about anything but that at the moment.  
“Well, John is adamant about the grounding thing and so I’m missing Chris. Calling and facetiming is just not a substitute for seeing each other in person. It’s just annoying me. And on top of that John and Paul are acting even weirder than usual.”  
“I bet that in one week you’ll be able to see Chris again. John has never been able to stay mad at you for long. Speaking of the weird behaviour – I have noticed that as well. Paul seemed to be a bit too happy. As if he was hiding something,” Lizzy responded.  
“That’s what I meant. The both of them are completely content right now and they’re always whispering to each other about something. I just can’t figure it out. Ringo and George said that it couldn’t have anything to do with the band. There’s not that much on around the holidays.”  
“Maybe we don’t need to get them together anymore and they have taken it upon themselves,” she grinned and in response I shook my head, smiling. That would take much longer. Neither of them would start a relationship with the other without someone helping them along the way. No, no they would need assistance.  
“By the way, Ringo is completely on our side. He did ask himself how he never noticed.”  
“Well, the way they acted around each other was just always taken as just them being themselves.”  
“True,” I agreed and finished my cocoa so we could go shopping. We only had until 7pm before John would come get me. It really got on my nerves how serious he was taking this thing. Talking to him didn’t help one bit. He claimed that I finally had to learn to live with the consequences my actions caused. He couldn’t wrap me in cotton wool forever. I had no idea how he got that in his mind but apparently, he wanted to be a stricter dad. 

“Now tell me, is it serious between you and Marc?” I tried to ask as casually as possible, while I was looking for a comfortable jumper. I might as well shop for myself too, if I was here anyway.  
“I think so,” she responded almost shyly, and I looked at her smiling. She was blushing lightly. It seemed that she had fallen hard.  
“How was it then? You were very cagey with info on the phone.”  
I just needed to know more.  
“What do you want to know?” she asked in return and I rolled my eyes. She wouldn’t make this easy for me.  
“What have you done together?”  
“A lot.”  
“Lizzy!” I growled and looked at her angrily. She just laughed and picked out a shirt.  
“We painted the new guest room together after we froze our asses off in the shed. Grandpa insisted on it being painted in a light orange. We laughed so much. We were constantly talking about things we had done together in our childhood. And at some point, the paint didn’t go on the walls anymore but on our bodies. You won’t believe how cute he is.”  
“No because you never tell me anything about him. I haven’t even seen a picture of him,” I complained, and Lizzy immediately walked over to me with her phone in her hand.  
“This is him,” she beamed from pure happiness when she showed me the photo. Marc was holding her close and Lizzy was resting her head on his chest. Both of them were smiling. They looked truly comfortable with each other. 

“You look happy,” I told her.  
“We were. I just don’t know if a long-distance relationship works.”  
“Of course, it will. You go visit your grandpa every school holiday anyway. And on top of that you usually go visit him once a month. He can always come visit you on other weekends, too. That shouldn’t be a problem.”  
“Dad will freak out if he hears about this,” was her next concern and her smile started to fade. I almost forgot about Paul. He would surely not be very happy about this. If it was up to him, Lizzy would be forever alone. Maybe the fact that he had known her boyfriend since forever would help. Paul had always liked him.  
“I don’t think so. He likes Marc and has known him ever since the both of you were playing in the sandpit together. That reminds me – does this now still count as ‘sandpit-love’?” I asked her grinning. She didn’t like my joke very much.  
“Lucy, you are not helping,” she complained but even she couldn’t keep from smirking.  
“I’m serious, sweetie. Paul will give him the father talk but there’s still a lot of time until then. Don’t worry about that. If he’s not happy about it, I’ll have my dad talk to him.”  
“Why can’t dad be like John in that regard?” she mumbled more to herself than to me.  
“Because John is just as uptight about it. Believe me, he held the same lectures at the time. He just knows that I’m growing up. Whereas Paul still sees us as two little girls dressed up as elephants for school events.”  
“Don’t remind me. Those pictures are carefully taped into our photo album.”  
“Be glad, no one will see them there,” I told her and vanished into the fitting rooms with my clothes. 

After we had gotten all the Christmas presents, we arrived at the agreed upon meeting point just in time. To my surprise John was already there. What the hell? This man never was on time once in a year but today he had to be early? Where has my father gone?  
“I don’t know him this strict,” Lizzy whispered into my ear before we were in earshot.  
“Would you look at that – my lost second daughter,” he greeted her with a huge grin and pulled her into a long hug. Meanwhile I put my shopping bags into the boot of the car and let myself fall onto the backseat. Shopping really could be tiring. Lizzy got in beside me and immediately got out her phone. She had ignored it all day while we were together, but I guess she can’t wait any longer. I’m sure she had lots of missed messages from Marc.  
“And how was it?”  
“I finally have everything. You’re getting a present after all.”  
“You shouldn’t spend money on me,” he said throwing a glance at me through the rear-view mirror.  
“What I’m doing with my money is my decision. Believe me, you’ll be grateful for it later.”  
“You better keep that receipt.”  
“Returning it is not allowed dad, you know that,” I told him. We often returned gifts from our relatives, even though we know they only meant well. In our family it was usual to put the receipt in with the gift. Within the band it was completely different. For years we have been doing the “Secret Santa” thing and set a price limit of 15 pounds. It always was very funny. While John kept asking Lizzy about her holidays, I took some time to write to Chris. We would only see us on the 26th of December, when we’ll be eating lunch with his parents and then go for coffee and my grandparents’ house. I wouldn’t see him until then. I was worried that dad wouldn’t even allow me that, but he wasn’t that bad.  
I kept chatting with him for a while. He was really cute these last few days. Always telling me how much he missed me. We had planned to spend the week Lizzy was away together, instead I was bored at home. I do have to admit that dad and I did have some fun evenings in that time. The only one that didn’t quite work out as planned, was the one where I told him about my mother…

_“Dad,” I yelled through the house, looking for my father. It has been way too quiet for two hours now. But I didn’t get an answer. Sighing I searched in all the rooms, until I could hear his voice coming from the office._  
_“She doesn’t react to your messages or calls?... No, she hasn’t talked to me… you mean Lucy pulled such a stunt in the café?!... What does Paul have to do with all this?” I could hear him say and knew immediately who he was talking to. Shit! Paul and I agreed that neither of us would say a word about the fight with my mother. Seems like I’ll have to talk to dad now. He’ll probably ground me even longer for it._  
_Sighing I went into the living room, where I let myself fall onto the couch. I curled up underneath the fleece blanket on it and waited for my father. He would surely come here soon to talk._  
_“Lucy,” I could hear him call for me._  
_“In the living room,” I answered immediately. He entered the room soon after with his phone still in his hand._  
_“Why are you sitting here in complete silence?”_  
_“Because I was waiting for you. You didn’t hear me calling for you.”_  
_“Sorry, darling. I was talking on the phone and apparently didn’t hear you.”_  
_“That’s okay. Who was it then?” I asked, trying to not let him know that I heard him._  
_“Your mother. I haven’t spoken to her on the phone for years,” he answered sounding slightly off. Now I thought about it, it was always me who talked to her. John and her didn’t really have a reason to, why would they? He had full custody of me and so they didn’t need to discuss things. It must be strange for him to have to talk to her._ _“What did she say?”_  
_“She told me about what happened at the café. Do you want to tell me about that?”_  
_“Paul is completely on my side,” was my first reaction and dad just raised his eyebrow. He wanted to know more then…_  
_“She wasn’t interested in me at all. Then she wanted to paint you as a bad father and I lost my temper.”_  
_“What does Paul have to do with all this?”_  
_“He overheard what we talked about and well, he sent me outside. I don’t really know what he told mum when I was outside. Ever since I have ignored everything from her. I don’t have a mother anymore,” my voice broke at the last sentence and I tried my best not to start crying right now. John just sat down next to me and pulled me into a hug. We sat there, in complete silence, and I lost the fight against the tears. I was finally letting out all the hurt my mother caused me._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments and Kudos always make my day and even week.


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